LETTEKS 


^       MASONRY    AND    ANTI-MASONRY, 


ADDRESSED  TO  THE 


HON.  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS, 


BY  WILiLrlAM  li.  STOHTE. 


What  I  knaw  to  be  true,  that  I  will  declare  ;  and  what  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  re- 
present, that  I  will  have  tlie  boldness  to  publish."— Timothy  PiCKEaiNO. 


NEW-YORK  : 

O.  HALSTED,  CORNER  OF  NASSAU  AND  CEDAR- STREETS. 

1832. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1832,  by  O. 
Halsted,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States 
for  the  Southern  District  of  New- York,  in  the  Second  Circuit. 


R0BKRT80N,  PRINT. 


CONTENTS 


LETTER  I. 
Introductory— Glance  at  the  recent  state  of  Political  Parties— Origin  of  Anti-masonry— Pre- 
liminary view  of  the  Excitement,    f^"  Erratum.— hast  line  but  one,  in  the  last  sen- 
tence of  this  letter,  for"  inhabitants,"  read  ^' institutions.^^ 

LETTER  IL 
Speculative  Free-masonry— Author's  initiation  into  the  Degree  of  Entered  Apprentice- 
Feelings  of  disappointment— Emblems  and  lessons  of  the  Degree— Fellow  Craft's  De- 
gree—Pleasing solemnity  of  the  opening— Regularity  and  order  of  the  Lodge— Refutation 
of  charges  of  riotous  carousals— Emblems  and  instructions  of  the  Degree. 

LETTER   III. 

Freemasonry  continued— Sublime  Degree  of  Master  Mason— Affecting  Ritual— Ceremonies 
and  emblems— Shdkspeare— A  striking  coincidence— This  a  favorite  degree— Absurdity 
of  its  history— Its  legends  an  imposture— Opinion  of  Grand  Master  Dalcho— Of  Profes- 
sor rftuart— Dramatic  character  of  its  action— Dangerous  tendency  of  its  obligations- 
Grand  hailing  sign — Alexander  and  Judas  Maccabeus. 

LETTER  IV. 
Freemasonry  continued— Mark  Master's  degree— Belongs  to  the  fellow-craft— More  than 
three  degrees  prohibited  by  law  in  England — The  same  in  Scotland^Causes  of  multipli- 
cation of  dejirees— Opening  ofa  M;irk  Lodge— Its  ceremonies— Scriptural  allegory— Its 
application- Degree  of  Past  Master— Its  ceremonies— Awkward  predicament— Lecture 
and  charge  of  this  degree. 

LETTER  V. 
Freemasonry  continued— Degree  of  Most  Excellent  Master— Its  ceremonies— Dedication  of 
the  temple — Solomon's  prayer— Locke — Disputed  manuscript  ot  Henry  VI. — Exaltation 
to  the  degree  nf  Royal  Arch— Reasons  lor  persevering— History  and  traditions  on  which  it 
is  founded — Josiah — Hilkiah — Huldah — Josephus — Ezra— Zerubbabel,  &c. — Introduction 
of  the  candidate— Kmblems— Scenic  Representations- Decorations — Attractive  pagean- 
try—Absurdity of  its  legends— Real  history  of  the  degree— Edward  Charles  Stuart— lllu- 
minism— Mistake  of  Abbe  Barruel- Introduction  of  the  Royal  Arch  into  America — M. 
Hayes— The  Duke  of  Orleans— Scotch  Masonry— Knight  of  St.  Andrew, 

LETTER  VI. 

Degrees  of  Knighthond— Royal  and  Pelect  Masters— The  ineffable  degrees— French  Ma- 
gonry—Inftlelity— Knight  of  Red  Cross— Its  history— Court  of  Darius— Apocryphal  le- 
gend— Imposing  scenic  representations — Knights  of  Malta — Shipwreck  of  Paul — Hospi- 
tallers-'Knights  ol'  St.  John — Of  Rliodes— History— Raymond  De  Puy — d'  Aubresson — 
The  Templars— History  of  the  order— Hugo  de  Paganis— Instituted  during  the  Crusades— 
Philipthe  Fair— Clement  V.— Order  suppressed— French  Templars— Anti-christian—j\'ot 
so  with  the  American— Solemn  and  affecting  ceremonies, 

LETTER  VIL 

Examination  of  the  nature  of  the  masonic  obligations— Bernard's  Light— Old  manuscript- 
Misrepresentation  answered— The  nature  of  masonic  secrets — What  they  really  are — Se- 
cresy  and  silence  virtues— The  binding  force  of  promises — Dr.  Paley— Interpolations  in 
the  obligations — ObliRations  properly  understood,  not  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  God 
and  man— Charges  and  explanations— Objec'.ious  to  extra-judicial  oaths— Pritchard's  re- 
A'elations— Allthe  penalties  unmeaning. 


\ 


Ml813a3 


JV  CONTENTS. 

LETTER  VIII. 
fiapjd  sKeul)  of  the  history  of  Freemasonry— FondneP5?  even  of  Republicans  for  the  merit  of 
aiiiiquily— Anderson's  history— Antediluvian  Masonry— From  the  flood  to  the  buildin!!  of 
Solomon's  temple— Ridiculous  absurdity  of  these  pretens^ions—Lawrie's  history— Egyp- 
tian priesls — Ionian  architects — Language  of  Symbols-  Epicureans— Eleusin^an  mysteries — • 
Kn^idran  Hiysieries — Pyiha<:oreans — The  Essenes— Geiman  notions  of  Masonry — Clemen- 
tinian  ci>n!'ed«Mtrs — ur.  Dalcho's  opuiion  ot  the  absurdity  of  claiming  David,  Solomon, 
and  the  two  Johns,  as  JMasoiis,  &.c. 

LETTER  IX. 
Same  suVject  continued— Nicholas  Ptone— The  Druids— The  Romans— Picts—^cots— Dr. 
Henry's  arcount—Collesia  Aitificuni— Ancient  edifices — Athelstan— Edgar — EJward  tlie 
Confessor -'Ihomas  Paine's  opinions — The  Rosicrusians— Roman  and  Greek  colleges — 
Proscription  of  Ai a  onry  on  the  continent— Dr.  Plot— First  authentic  record  of  Freemr.- 
soiiry— Thomas  Ashmole,  the  last  ot  the  Rosicrusians— ISlasonry  in  the  reifrn  ot  Anne  - 
Rival  Grand  Lodges  in  England— Origin  of  Masonry  in  Sctnland—Kilwinmg— Lords  of 
Roslin— Resuscitation  of  Masonry  in  1717 — Duke  of  Bucclengh— 17-*3— Dukeof  Rich- 
UiOiid— Extension  of  Englisli  Masonry  over  the  world. 

LETTER  X. 
Refutation  of  the  charges  of  infidelity — Absurd  notions  of  double  significations  and  inter- 
pretations—Reasons why  Freemasonry,  on  its  own  merits,  should  be  relinquished, 

LETTER  XL 
William  Morgan— His  life— Marriage  with  Luciiula  Pendleton— His  character— Origin  of 
ilie  difficulties  between  him  and  the  Masons— His  association  with  David  C.  Miller- 
Morgan's  exclusion  from  the  chapter  at  Ratavia — Revenge — Supposed  Msit  of  Morgan  to 
New-York — Preparations  for  betraying  the  secrets  of  Masonry. 

LETTER  XII. 
Rumors  of  the  intended  publication— Attempts  of  the  Masons  to  negociate  with  Morgan  — 
Advertiseil  as  an  imjtostor — Misrepresentations  upon  this  subject — Agitations  amcmg  the 
Masons — Vexatious  prosecutions — Arrival  of  Johns,  as  a  spy  and  partner  of  Miller— first 
arrest  and  imprisonmeiitof  Morgan— Ransacking  of  Mrs.  Morgan's  apartment. 

LETTER  XIII. 
indiscreet  newspaper  publications- General  Lafayette— Conspiracy  for  the  destruction  of 
Miller's  ofBce— Meeting  of  the  conspirators  at  Staflbrd— A  night  expedition  and  failure- 
Col.  Sawyer— attempt  to  bjrn  the  printing  office  by  Howard— Providential  IVustration  of 
the  plan — F.xpedition  ot  Chesebon*  and  others,  from  Canandaigua— Dr.  Butler— Arrest 
and  iransporlatiiinof  Morgan  to  Canandaigua— Trial  and  acquittal  for  petit  larceny — im- 
prisonment at  Cannndaisiia  (or  debt — Ueflections— Journey  of  Mrs.  Morgan  to  Canandai- 
gua, in  puisuit  of  Jier  husband— Delivery  of  niannfcripts- duel  disappointment— her 
return  to  Batavia— Offers  of  masonic  support  rejected. 

LETTER  XIV. 

Cuthering  of  conspirators  in  Eatnvla -Arrest  and  abduction  of  Miller— His  imprisonment  in 
a  liidae  at  Siiiffird— interview  with  Jolin-"— Journey  to  Le  Roy,  attended  by  a  mob— His 
rescue— Exlraordinary  absence  of  the  magistrates  of  Batavia  on  that  day— Llieir  more  ex- 
traaidinary  cjnveri>atiuas— conduct  of  the  Masons— Reflections. 

LETTER  XV. 
Charily  to  Mrs.  Morgan— An  apent  ?ent  to  Canand.dtua— Mysterious  letter  to  Mrs.  Mor- 
gan—Discoveries of  the  agent— Conspiracy  at  Cannmiaigua,  ami  abduction  of  Morgan 
Irom  the  prison— CI»eKel)oro,  Lawson.  Smith,  Whitr«ey,  &c  —Mysterious  movements  of  a 
carnage,  in  the  night,  from  Canandaigua  to  Hanfoid's  Lauding — 5?u-picious  circumstan- 
ces— Public  iruH'tings  at  Batavia— Increase  of  the  excitement— Appointment  of  commit- 
tees—<:ortesp(indence  with  Governor  Clinton-First  pr<.clamalion— Progress  of  the  excite- 
ment--Nnn:ei(.u9  meeting*— Covimtion  Lodge— Case  of  Elder  Bernard— Conduct  of  the 
Masons— Political  symptoms— Reflections. 

LB]TTER  XVI. 

Publication  of  Morgan'sdiscUuurefi— Conduct  of  Morgan— Inquiry  into  its  morality— Arch- 
deacon Paley— Dr.  Biown— Morgan's  jit-ifidy  no  justification  of  the  Masons. 

LETTER  XVII. 

False  report."  respecting  Morgan's  absence--Doubts  among  honest  Masons — Variety  of  ru- 

flxori— First  indictments  ot  French  and  others— Second  letter  and  proclamation  of  Ciover- 


CONTENTS.  V 

nor  Clinton — Progress  of  the  excitement — Indictment  of  Che?eboro  and  others,  in  Onta- 
rio—Furtiier  investigations  of  coiniuittee^— Mysterious  carriage  traced  alon;;  the  Ridge 
Road  to  Lewi3ton  and  Youngstown — Eli  Bruce— Col.  King— Grand  Jury  of  Monroe — 
Letter  of  Governor  Clinton  to  the  Attorney  General. 

LETTER  XVI  !I. 
Trial  of  Chesehnro,  Lawson,  Sawyer,  and  Sheldon,  at  Canandaigna— Mysterious  absence  of 
Miller— Strange  letter  to  General   Solomon   Van  Rensselaer— All  but  Sheldon  pleaded 
pnilty— Sheldon  unjustly  convicted— Remarks  of  Judge  Throop  on  passing  sentence- 
Miller  brought  up  on  an  attachment. 

LETTER  XIX. 
Correspondence  between  Mr.  Talbot  and  Governor  Clinton— Correspondence  between  Gov- 
ernor Clinton, llie  Earl  of  Dalhousie,  and  Sir  PerCijrine  Mailland— Investigations  in  Up[)er 
Canada. 

LETTER  XX. 
Result  of  the  trial  of  Cheseboro  and  others,  unsatisfactory— Increasing  doubts—  Progress  of  the 
excitement  at  the  west — Popular  meetings— Denunciationsof  the  Masons,  and  the  press — 
Reflections  of  the  people  upon  the  first  trial— Reaction— the  author  writes  to  Mr.  Spen- 
C!?r— Painful  news  from  the  west — Idle  rtpc^rts— John  Brandt— Imputations  upon  the  Grand  , 
Chapter — Reported  murder  of  Morgan — Eximinationsof  Fort  Niapara— 1  etters  from  the 
Lewislon  Committee— Panic  among  the  people  at  the  vve.~t— Reply  of  Mr.  Spencer — 
Confirming  the  author's  worst  apprehensions— Determination  to  iublisb  boldly— Smith  an  J 
Whitney  abscond— Attempts  to  arrest  them  in  Albany— Colonel  King— Visits  Governor 
Clinton— Washington— Flies  to  the  northwest. 

LETTER  XXI. 
Meeting  of  the  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chipter— Expectations  of  the  people  and  the  guiltless 
M  jsons— Strange  conduct  of  that  btidy— Letter  of  a  friend— Appropriation  of  money  for 
the  benefit  of  the  conspirators. 

LETTER  XXII. 

Progress  of  the  excitement— Angry  temj  er  of  the  people— Difficulties  in  churches— The 
pjoular  violence  produces  a  reaction — Dangers  of  popular  excitements— Means  of  con- 
tinuing the  excitement  at  the  west — Conduct  of  a  grand  jury  at  Bataviii — Further  indict- 
ments in  Ontaiio— Case  ot  Howard,  alias  Chipperfield— Depositions  of  John  Mann— Pain- 
ful disclosures- Howard  absconds — Con<!ui  t  of  Masons  in  ^lew-York — Avery  Allwi — 
Author's  investigations— Howard  helped  out  of  the  country  by  the  Masons  in  New-Yoik. 

LETTER  XXIII. 
Further  correspondence  between  Governor  Clinton  and  Mr.  Talbot— Special  mess?age  of  the 
latter  to  the  Legislature— Third  proclamaliou- Meeting  of  the  Lewiston  Convention- 
Interesting  investiijations — Additional  d  sclosures — Morgan  traced  uUo  Canada  and  back 
to  the  magazine  of  Fort  Niagara — Furiher  rumors  of  his  murder — Horrid  particulars — 
Disclosures  of  Hirarn  B.  Hopkins— Conduct  of  grand  jury  at  Niagara— And  of  Bruce. 

LETTER  XXIV. 
Memorials  of  the  Lewiston  convention,  and  of  the  people,  to  the  Legislature— Proceedings 
thereon— Act  passed  concerning  kidnapping— Grand  juriesof  Monroe  and  Niagara — Trials 
of  French,  Ganson,  and  others,  at  Batavia— Unaccountable  acquittal  of  Gansoii— Alterna- 
tions of  the  public  feeling— False  reports  again  put  in  circulation  respecting  the  existence 
of  Morgan--Suid  to  be  living  in  Canada, — and  in  Boston. 

LETTER  XXV. 

Meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  New- York — Arrival  of  Bruce— Interview  with  the  author — 
'i'he  author's  reception  by  some  of  the  members  in  the  Grand  Lodge — Causes  of  their 
hostility — His  previous  writmgs  against  the  Morgan  outrage— Threatening  letter  from 
Wishington- Vote  of  money  to  Eli  Bruce--Iuvestigation3  of  the  author— Supposed  man- 
ner of  Morgan's  death. 

LETTER  XXVI. 
Ill  judged  masonic  celebration  of  St.  John's  Day,  at  Batavia— Wonderful  excitement— Pre 
parations  for  hostilities— The  day  passes  by  without  serious  evil. 

LETTER  XXVII. 
gecond  trials  at  Canandaigua,of  Coa,  Hayward,Omour,and  others— Public  interest  in  the 
trials  continues— Parties  acquitted— Mission  of  Bates  anil  G;ulinghouse  to  the  valley  of  th« 
Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  in  pursuit  «f  King,  iSinith,  and  Whimey. 


VI  CONTENTS. 


LETTER  XXVIII. 


Public  clamor  at  the  acquittals  of  the  defendants— Further  disclosures  from  Niagara— Public 
mind  inflamed— Ami  masonry  becomes  political— Preparations  for  the  election— Removal 
of  Eli  Bruce  from  the  slierifTalty— Body  found  at  Oak  Orchard  Creek— Coroner's  inquest— 
Intel ment— Report  that  it  was  Morgan's  body— Supposed  miracle— Disinterred— Another 
inquest— Pronounced  to  be  Morgan— Tremendous  excitement — Great  funeral — Arrival  of 
M  rs.  Monroe  from  Canada— Examinations— Body  again  disinterred— Another  inquest — 
Ascertained  to  be  the  bodv  of  Timothy  Monroe— Reaction— Dangers  of  popular  delusion — 
Public  meeting  at  Rochester— The  Lewiston  committees  denounced— Remarkable  case 
of  R.  H.  Hill— Confession  of  the  murder— Arrest  of  Hill— His  discharge— Thomas  Hamil- 
ton—His sudden  disappearance  at  Buffalo— Supposed  death — Excitement—  Imposture— A 
disclosure  in  Michigan— Edward  Hopkins— Letter  from  Governor  Cass  to  Governor  Clinton. 

LETTER  XXIX. 

Death  of  Gov.  Clinton— Aspersions  upon  his  character— James  Ganson— Calumny  of  Clin- 
ton by  N.  B  Boileau— Vmdication  of  his  character— Meeting  of  General  Grand  Chapter 
in  New-York— Richardson's  deposition  in  Rhode  Island— Morgan's  manuscripts  laid 
before  the  General  Grand  Chapter— Author's  Letter  to  Col.  Knapp—  Col.  Knapp's  reply— 
Coriespondence  between  Gov.  Clinton  and  Jacob  Le  Roy — Including  a  denial  of  Gov. 
Clintonof  the  slanders  against  him— Summing  up. 

LETTER  XXX. 
Renunciations  of  Masonry— Convention  of  renouncing  Masons  at  Le  Roy— Their  affirma- 
tions of  the  disclosures  of  Morgan— Disclosures  of  the  higher  degrees— Spurious  Obli- 
gations-Memorial to  Congress— Debate  thereon— Le  Roy  Convention  of  March  6— Its 
Proceedings— Govemmttut  of  the  Stale  devolves  on  Lt.  Gov.  Pitcher— Special  Mes.«age 
to  the  Legislature- Proceedings  thereon- Special  Counsel— Daniel  Moseley  appointed- 
Unjust  censures  upon  his  commct— Return  of  Garlingliouse  and  Bates  from  an  unsuccess- 
ful mission  after  the  fugitives  to  Missouri— Col.  King  eludes  them— His  strange  return  to 
Youngstown— lie  publishes  an  Address— change  in  the  character  of  Anti-masonry. 

LETTER  XXXI. 
Trial  of  Eli  Bruce,  Turner,  and  Darrow— Rejection  of  Giddings  as  a  witness— Decision  of 
Judge    Howell— Prevaricating    testimony    of  John    Jackson— Conviction    of     Bruce- 
Remarks  upon  the  rejection  of  Giddings  as  a  witness— opinions  in  the  New- York  State 
Convention. 

LETTER  XXXII. 

P<dltical  Campaign  in  New-York,  in  1828— Preparations  for  the  State  and  Presidential 
Elections— National  Republican  Convention  at  Utica— Nomination  of  Judge  Tliompeon 
and  Mr.  Granger— Anti-masonic  Convention  at  Utica— Nomination  of  Mr.  Granger  for 
Governor  and  Mr.  Crary— Mr.  Granger  declines  the  last  nomination  and  accepts  the 
first— Anti-M;isons  nominate  Solomon  Southwick— Jackson  Convention  at  Herkimer— 
Mr.  Adims's  Letter  respecting  Freemasony,  pulilished  at  the  West— He  is  charged,  under 
oath,  with  being  a  Mason  himself— Denial— Result  of  the  Election. 

LETTER  XXXIir. 
Mfeting  of  the  Legislature  of  1P99— Gov.  Van  Buren's  Message— Report  of  the  Special 
Onunnel— Reports  thereon  of  both  branches  of  the  Legislature— Letter  of  Bowen  Whiting 
to  the  Cominiiiee  of  the  Assembly— Letter  of  Special  Counsel  to  the  same— Renewal  of 
popular  clamour— Genesee  Convention— Holland  Land  Company— Second  Anti-iSlasonic 
Stale  Convention— Proceeding  of  the  same— Unfounded  inferences  respecting  certain 
nets  of  incorporation— Projwsed  monument  to  the  Memory  of  Morgan— Resignation  of  Mr. 
Mftseley— J.  C.  Spencer  apiioinled  Special  Counsel  in  his  place— Enters  vigorously  upon 
the  duties  of  his  office-Gov.  Van  Buroii  resigns-Lt  (Jov.  Throop— His  parting  Address 
to  the  SiMiate,  giving  offence  to  tlie  Ami  imsons- Meeting  of  Masons  at  Rochester— Their 
renunciation,  with  a  protest— Unsatisfactoi y— Reasons  why— Charges  against  the  Chap- 
ter, and  Encampment  at  Rochester. 

LETTER  XXXIV. 
Ontario  fSewlons  of  May,  1829-Eli  Bruce's  case- Hiram  B.  Hopkins  testifies  new  facts 
against  him— Death  of  Burrage  Smith— Trial  of  John  Whitney  and  James  Gillis— Ell- 
Bruce  tc!«tili"s- Whitney  convicted— Bruce  and  Whitney  sentenced  to  imprisonment- 
Attentions  shown  them'by  tlie  Masons  while  in  Prison. 

LETTER  XXXV. 

Conduct  of  town  Clerk  of  B  ilnny,  respecting  Jurors- His  trial— Irritation  of  the  Mnsens, 
because  of  their  perseniiiuns- The  Clergy— Reasons  why  so  many  of  them  are  Masons 
—Proceedings  of  religious  sects  against  the  Maa.ins— Baptist  conventions— Rev.  Mr. 
Emerson's  Letter— Convention  at  VVt*»8Bborough— And  elsewhere— Of  the  associated 
Reformed  Synod— Associated  Synod  of  iScotland— Tlie  Presbyterian  Church— Proceedings 
in  Pittsburg  in  1820— Synod  of  Genesee— Presbytery  of  Rochester— General  Union 
Meeting  in  Oneida, 


CONTENTS.  Til 

LETTER  XXXVI. 

Prosecution  of  the  trials  by  Mr,  Spencer— Indictments  in  Genesee— Embarrassmenta  from 
absence  of  witnesses — Case  of  Harris — Of  Orson  Parkhurst — Oyer  and  Terminer  in  Mon- 
roe—Romantic Incident— Devotion  and  heroic  conduct  of  a  woman  to  save  her  husband — 
Rev.  Francis  H.  Cuming— Clamour  abates— Elections  of  1829. 

LETTER  XXXVII. 
Trial  of  Elihu  Mather,  before  Judge  Gardiner— Challenges  of  Masonic  Jarors— Testimony 
as  to  the  nature  of  the  Obligations— Exclusion  of  Masons— Mather  acquitted— Motion  foi 
^  new  trial  denied  by  the  Supreme  Court. 

LETTER  XXXVm. 
Legislature  of  1830— Message  of  the  Acting  Governor— Report  of  the  Special  Counsel- 
Gives  offence  to  the  Masons  in  the  Legislature— Debates— Judge  Gardiner  directed  to 
bring  up  the  case  of  Mather— Another  Anti-masonic  State  Convention— Inquiry  respect- 
ing the  conduct  of  the  Grand  C^hapter-Legislative  Proceedings— Report  of  the  Attorney 
General— Anti-masonry  becomes  thoroughly  political— Political  feelings  in  the  Legislature 
—Mr.  Spencer's  Resignation,  and  reasons— The  Governor's  vindication— Publication  of 
Spencer's  private  correspondence— Appointment  of  Mr.  Birdseye— Review  of  the  con- 
duct of  Governor  Throop, 

LETTER  XXXIX, 

Means  adopted  for  prolonging  the  excitement— Extraordinary  case  of  reported  Masonic 
murder  in  Belfast— Investigation  of  this  case— Reasons  why  it  is  not  to  be  believed. 

LETTER  XL. 

Special  Circuit  of  Niagara— Judge  Marcy— Trial  of  Ezekiel  Jewett— Testimony  on  the 
Nature  of  Masonic  Obligations— Decision  of  Judge  Marcy  upon  this  duestion— Unex- 
ampled Conduct  of  Masonic  Witnesses— Contempt  of  Court,  and  Imprisonment  of  Tur- 
ner—The same  of  Eli  Bruce— Conduct  of  John  Jackson— His  Equivocal  Testimony- 
Conduct  of  William  P.  Daniels— Acquittal  of  Jewett. 

LETTER  XLI. 
Trial  of  Solomon  C.  Wright  and  Jeremiah  Brown— Unaccountable  Acquittal  of  the  De- 
fendants—Lemuel De  Forest— His  strange  story  respecting  the  Death  of  Loring  Simonds. 

LETTER  XLII. 

Establishment  of  a  Paper  at  Rochester  by  the  Masons— Its  Course— Indicted  for  a  Libel  on 
a  Jury— Case  of  the  Cooks,  at  Fort  Ann— Conduct  of  the  Masons  thereon— Elections  of 
1830— Results  in  the  great  increase  of  Anti-masonry— Mysterious  case  of  Elder  Witherell 
—Interesting  Letter  from  Washington  County,  detailing  the  whole  History  of  that  re- 
markable case— Second  Trial  and  Acquittal  of  James  Gillis— Session  of  the  Legislature 
of  1831— Message  of  Governor  Throop— Report  of  the  Special  Counsel— Refusal  of  Judge 
Gardiner  to  try  any  more  of  the  Morgan  Conspirators— Compliment  to  Mr.  Whiting. 

LETTER  XLIII. 
Special  Circuit  of  Niagara  in  February  and  March,  1831— Judge  Nelson  presides— Trials  of 
Elisha  Adams,  and  of  Parkhust  Whitney  and  others— Difficulty  of  Obtaining  Jurors- 
Nature  of  Masonic  Obligations— Loton  Lawson  sworn  as  a  Witness— John  Whitney,  the 
same— Orsamus  Turner— A  new  and  Important  witness  in  the  person  of  James  A.  Shed 
—Edward  Giddings— His  Infidelity— Alteration  of  the  Law  of  Evidence— Giddinga 
sworn  as  a  Witness— His  damning  testimony  highly  important~-Jury  disagrees  in  the  Case 
of  Adams,  and  also  in  the  other  case. 

LETTER  XLIV. 
Trial  of  Norfnan  Shepherd  and  Timothy  Maxwell— Rev.  Lucius  Smith— Conduct  of  Betha- 
ny Chapter— Committees  sent  to  Canandaigua,  Rochester,  Lockport,  and  Buffalo,  to  con- 
cert measures  for  suppressing  Morgan's  Book— John  Jackson  again— Proceedings  in  the 
Lodge  Room  at  Lockport— Abandonment  of  the  Prosecution— Last  Message  of  the  Go- 
vernor, and  final  Report  of  the  Special  Counsel  upon  this  subject. 

LETTER  XLV. 
Masonic  Exhibitions— Amusing  case  in  Chenango— Harlowe  C.  Witherell— Nature  of  Ma- 
sonic Ceremonies  and  Obligations— Trial  and  ac  quittal  of  Solomon  C.  Wright,  for  Perju- 
ry—Case  of  Gould  against  Weed,  for  Libel— Disposition  of  the  money  voted  by  the  Grand 
Chapter  in  1827— More  proved  than  General  Gould's  friends  could  have  wished— Most 
important  features  of  the  Libel  left  uninvestigated— By  Which  means,  doubtless,  a  verdict 
was  obtained  by  the  Plaintiff. 


VIII  CONTENTS. 

LETTER  XLVI. 

Conduct  of  the  Newspafter  Press  examined— Mr.  Rush  answered— Reasons  for  the  course 
taken  by  the  Tress— The  denunciations  not  entirely  jiist— Anti-masons  required  too 
much— Party  Spirit— Its  eflecLs  upon  the  subject  of  Free  Discussion— American  mode  of 
Proscription— Erroneous  Principles  upon  wliich  the  Presses  of  this  Country  are  esta- 
blislied— The  Liberty  of  the  Press,  and  it?  licentiousness,  very  different  things— Character 
of  the  Press  of  England— and  France— Incompetency  of  many  Editors. 

LETTER  XLVU. 

Inquiry— What  was  tlie  fate  of  Morgan  .'—Review  of  the  History— Conduct  of  Witnesses- 
No  doubt  that  Morgan  was  murdered— Flvidences  supporting  this  opinion — Testimony 
fiom  Vermont— 'I'lie  principal  Executioners  dead— Further  testimony  from  a  variety  of 
sources  at  the  "West,  not  brought  out  on  the  Trials— Consultations  for  putting  Morgan  to 
Death— Ingenious  mode  of  drawing  lots— Manner  of  his  death— Reflections. 

LETTER  XLVIII. 
Inquiry  as  to  what  extent  the  Masonic  Lodges  and  Chapters,  and  the  Members  of  the  Order, 
individually  or  collectively,  were  concerned — Erroneous  views  that  have  hetn  entertained, 
as  to  the  Internal  Organization  of  the  Masonic  bodies— Reviev/  of  the  History  upon  the 
question  examined  in  this  Letter— Testimony  of  Thomas  G.  Green,  respecting  the  Lod§e 
at  Buffalo— Testimony  from  other  quarters— Further  recapitulation  of  the  History— Ma- 
sons extensively  hiculpated  at  the  West,  as  illustrated  from  a  variety  of  facts— Summing 
up  of  this  head. 

LETTER  XLIX. 
Drawing  lo  a  close— Twelve  reasons  why  all  good  men  should  abandon  the  Institution  of 
Speculative  Masonry— Supported  in  this  conclusion  by  the  opinion  of  Chancellor  Wal- 
worth. 

APPENDIX. 
Containing  a  variety  of  Papers  and  Documents. 


LETTERS 


ADDRESSED    TO 


THE  HON.  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 


LETTER  I. 

New- York,  Nov.  20,  1831. 
Sir, 

I  have  been  honored  by  the  receipt,  in  due  course  of 

mail,  of  your  favor  of  the  27th  uUimo.     The  readiness  v^ith 

which  you  have  assented  to  my  request  to  be  allowed  the 

opportunity  of  addressing  a  series  of  Letters  to  you  upon 

the  subjects  of  speculative  Freemasonry  and  Anti-masonry — 

topics  of  such  deep  and  general  interest  at   the   present 

time, — and  the  kind  and  encouraging  terms  in  which  that 

assent  is  expressed,  demand  my  grateful  acknowledgments. 

It  was  not  without  diffidence,  more,  indeed,  than  I  shall 

probably  receive  credit  for,  that  I  was  induced  to  prefer 

such  a  request.     But  a  variety  of  circumstances,  weighty 

and  powerful  in  themselves,  together  with  an  impression 

that  the  labor  I  propose  to  perform,  may  be  attended  with 

some  benefit  to  the  community,  excited  and  divided  as  it 

now  is,  and  threatens  long  to  be,  by  the  distracting  question 

I  am  to  consider,  have  impelled  me  to  the  undertaking. 

1 


2  LETTER   I. 

The  formation  of  the  Anti-masonic  party,  which  is  now 
extending  itself  in  various  directions,  and  its  effective  or- 
ganization, create  an  era  in  the  poUtical  history  of  our 
country.  Parties  w^ill  always  exist  in  republican  govern- 
ments, and  indeed,  in  all  governments  where  the  elective 
principle  is  recognised.  But  heretofore,  the  dividing  lines 
of  parties  have  been  drawn,  generally,  with  reference  to 
certain  prominent  principles  of  the  constitution,  or  policy  of 
the  government.  Or,  whenever  the  coincidence  of  opinion 
respecting  the  principles  and  action  of  a  free  government, 
becomes  so  general,  that  room  is  scarcely  afforded  for  op- 
position, on  the  breaking  up  of  old,  new  parties  are  formed 
in  respect  rather  to  men  than  principles.  Parties,  originally 
formed  upon  principle,  in  such  cases,  degenerate  into  fac- 
tions. The  political  history  of  our  own  country  affords 
ample  illustrations  of  the  soundness  of  these  propositions. 
From  the  period  of  the  adoption  of  the  federal  constitu- 
tion, down  to  the  close  of  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain^ 
the  people  had  been  divided  into  two  great  parties  only. 
The  division  originated  in  differences  of  principle,  touching 
the  powers  vested  in  the  general  government  under  the 
federal  compact ;  but  after  the  accession  of  Mr.  Jefferson 
to  the  presidency,  the  principles  of  opposition,  down  even 
to  the  close  of  Mr.  Madison's  administration,  were  rather 
to  be  found  in  relation  to  the  policy  of  the  government, 
than  to  the  'principles  upon  which  the  government  was  it- 
self constituted.  Nevertheless,  the  dividing  line  was  cleaily 
defined,  and  always  distinctly  understood  ;  at  least  by  the 
leaders  of  the  difierent  parties,  and  by  their  intelligent  sup- 
porters. 

At  the  close  of  the  late  war,  however,  a  recurrence,  by 
the  majority,  to  the  leading  measures  which  had  been  so 
long  and  so  strenuously  advocated  by  the  opposition,  dis- 
armed the  latter  ;  and  after  a  few  feeble  and  very  partial 
efforts  to  prolong  the  contest  under  the  old  watch- words  and 


LETTER    I.  D 

banners  of  the  respective  parties,  the  strife  ceased,  and  a 
truce  ensued,  which  continued  nearly  to  the  close  of  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  late  president  Monroe.  Nor,  in  the 
contest  for  the  succession,  was  the  attempt  to  rally  the  for- 
mer parties,  as  such,  successful.  At  any  rate,  it  was  but 
partially  so — although  the  old  party  watch-words  were 
rung  in  all  their  various  changes,  by  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  public  press.  The  contest  of  1824,  was  essentially 
for  men.  There  were  four  candidates  for  tlie  presidency, — 
at  one  period  five  ; — and  yet,  with  the  exception  of  one  of 
them,  the  success  of  whom  was  identified  with  the  odious 
practice  of  congressional  caucussing,  no  controversy  respect- 
ing the  cardinal  principles  of  the  government  was  entertained 
by  either.  The  general  course  of  national  policy  to  be 
pursued,  internal  and  external,  was  believed  to  be  establish- 
ed ;  and  few  persons,  warring  in  the  ranks  of  either  of  the 
candidates,  contemplated  any  essential  change  or  departure 
therefrom.  Still,  much  strife  and  bitterness  of  feeling  were 
engendered  during  the  conflict ;  and  the  passions  were 
wrought  up  to  a  degree  of  excitement,  if  not  of  positive 
anger,  w^hich  forbade  their  sinking  back  into  that  state  of 
repose  which  could  have  been  desired,  on  your  accession  to 
the  chief  magistracy  of  the  republic.  The  calm  that  fol- 
lowed was  deceitful.  The  aspirants  who  had  been  con- 
tending in  the  ranks  of  the  various  unsuccessful  parties,  and 
fragments  of  parties,  were  alike  out  of  place ;  and  if  they 
had  no  common  bond  of  union  by  virtue  of  any  principle, 
they  had  at  least  a  common  object,  and  therefore  a  common 
interest  in  acting  together,  in  any  new  enterprise  promising 
a  more  propitious  result. 

The  ancient  party  land-marks  having  all  been  erased,  and 
the  party  watch- words  having  lost  their  charm,  as  the  ex- 
perience of  the  preceding  contest  had  well  demonstrated,  it 
was  apparent  that  an  entirely  new  organization  was  neces- 
sary ;  a  combination  was  required  among  materials  of  the 


4  LETTER   I. 

most  heterogeneous  and  even  opposite  qualities,  possessing 
no  single  property  or  principle  of  cohesion,  save  only  what 
may  be  found  in  the  pregnant  and  comprehensive  phrase — 
SELF-INTEREST.  Nor  did  the  managers  find  it  necessary  to 
look  for  a  term  of  greater  significance  or  power.  A  new  party, 
numerous  and  active,  sprung  up  suddenly,  as  if  summoned  into 
existence  by  the  wand  of  another  Prospero.  The  disaflfected 
of  all  schools  were  united, — the  Georgian  contemner  of  the 
treaty-making  power ;  the  South  Carolinian  nuUifier ;  the  Vir- 
ginian strict-constructionist ;  the  free-trade  advocate — (as  a 
certain  description  of  speculative  political  economists  call 
themselves,  in  contradistinction  to  those  who  would  foster  the 
industry  of  their  own  country  by  protecting  duties,  when 
necessary  ;) — and  the  tariff'  men  of  Pennsylvania  and  New- 
York  ; — men  of  rival  interests,  and  of  opposite,  and  even  con- 
flicting opinions — all,  all  combined  in  the  formation  of  a  new 
party,  without  reference  to  antecedent  creeds  or  principles, 
and  with  the  sole  view  of  self-aggrandisement  and  power. 
Their  numbers  increased  beyond  precedent  or  measure  : 
so  that  after  a  repose  of  twelve  years  and  upwards,  the 
country  once  more  found  itself  divided  into  two  formidable 
political  parties — one  of  them  as  we  have  seen,  (the  youngest, 
and,  very  speedily,  the  strongest,)  so  utterly  heterogeneous, 
among  its  own  members,  upon  every  subject  but  the  passion 
for  power,  that,  were  that  principle  of  action  removed,  we 
might  have  anticipated  for  them  the  fite  of  the  fabled  war- 
riors who  sprung  from  the  dragon's  teeth  of  Cadmus,  on  the 
casting  of  even  a  stone  amongst  them. 

But  of  all  the  parties  to  which  I  have  adverted  in  this 
brief  retrospect,  and  of  all  the  factions,  and  fragments  of 
parties,  which  at  dilferent  times,  and  in  different  sections  of 
the  country,  have  broken  off*  and  divided  upon  questions  of 
temporary  interest  and  expediency,  it  may  be  predicated 
that  the  principles  of  their  organization  and  action  have 
been  pretty  well  understood  by  tlie  people.     They  have  ei- 


LETTER    I.  O 

ther  been  combatting  for  what  they  supposed  to  be  consti- 
tutional principles,  or  for  measures,  or  for  the  success  of 
personal  favorites,  or  openly  and  avowedly  for  a  new  division 
of  the  spoil.     And  in  either  case,  the  dividing  lines  of  these 
parties  have  been  well  defined.     The  circumstances  out  of 
which  they  sprung — the  principles  upon  which  they  have 
been  maintained, — and  the  objects  intended  to  be  effected, 
have  been,  among  intelligent  men  at  least,  well  understood. 
Such  is  not  the  fact,  however,  with  respect  to  the  Anti- 
masonic  party,  of  which,  since  it  is  to  form  my  principal 
theme,  I  ought,  perhaps,  to  have  spoken  with  less  circum- 
locution.    That  is  a  political  party  sui  generis.     There 
was  none  ever  before  like  unto  it.     Nor  will  its  likeness, 
probably,  be  found  in  any  pohtical  party  to  arise  hereafter. 
It  is  of  but  recent  origin,  and  yet  is  already   powerful  in 
numbers — striking  deep  root  in  the  land,  and  spreading  far 
and  wide  its  branches.     Its  progress  has  hitherto  given  the 
he  to  prediction,  and  in  its  strides  it  has  outstripped  the  cal- 
culations of  its  friends.     Already  is  its  weight  heavily  felt 
in  our  elections,  and  it  bids  fair,  at  no  distant  day,  to  exer- 
cise a  prodigious  influence,  for  weal  or  for  woe,  in  the  poli- 
tical concerns  of  the  republic.    "  Behold  how  great  a  matter 
"  a  little  fire  kindleth."    It  is  but  little  more  than  four  years, 
I  believe,  since  the  commencement  of  this  new  party.     It 
had  its  origin  in  a  small  town  in  the  interior  of  this  state, 
with  reference,  solely,  to  a  town  election.     Since  that  period 
it  has  drawn  into  its  ranks  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  free 
and  intelligent  electors  of  the  state  of  New- York  ;  it  has 
almost  divided  the  vote  of  Pennsylvania ;  it  has  planted  it- 
self deeply  in  the  soil  of  Massachusetts ;  it  is  spreading  in 
other  of  the  New  England  states,  in  Ohio,  and  elsewhere ; 
while  in  Vermont,  like  the  rod  of  Aaron,  it  has  so  far 
swallowed  up  both  of  the  former  parties,  as  to  have  obtained 
the  control  of  the  state  government.     Nor  is  it  of  factious 
partizans,  or  disappointed  office  seekers,  that  this  party  is 


6  LETTER   I. 

composed.  It  is  a  truth,  let  partizan  opponents  say  what 
they  please  to  the  contrary,  that  it  comprises  among  its 
members,  as  great  a  portion  of  wealth,  and  character, — of 
talents  and  respectability, — as  any  party  of  equal  numbers, 
ever  formed  in  this  or  any  other  country.  And  yet  I  am 
constrained  to  believe,  that  this  party,  possessing  such  num- 
bers, and  such  moral  as  well  as  political  power,  is  far  from 
being  well  understood,  or  properly  appreciated,  by  a  vast 
majority  of  the  people  of  these  United  States.  I  am  con- 
strained to  say — for  I  know  the  fact — that  many  gentlemen, 
filling  a  wide  space  in  the  public  eye — eminent  for  their 
talents,  and  distinguished  for  the  soundness  of  their  learn- 
ing, and  the  extent  of  their  political  information — have  no 
just  knowledge  or  conception  of  Anti-masonry.  They  look 
upon  it  merely  as  a  party,  originating  in  a  spirit  of  fanati- 
cism, engaged  in  a  crusade  against  an  innocent  institution, 
and  proscribing,  without  reason  or  justice,  all  the  members 
of  that  institution,  whether  innocent  or  guilty.  They  know 
little  of  the  merits  of  the  case  ; — doubt,  or  affect  to  doubt, 
whether  any  great  crime  has  been  committed  to  justify  the 
excitement  out  of  which  it  sprung, — and  are  still  less  in- 
formed as  to  the  wide  extent  in  which,  in  the  course  of  these 
Letters,  truth  will  compel  me  to  admit  the  Masonic  institu- 
tion has  been  compromised  by  the  dark  transaction  to  which 
I  am  referring. 

Allowing  what  I  have  just  been  saying  to  be  true,  and 
that  it  is  so,  I  know  from  extensive  and  close  personal  ob- 
servation,— may  it  not,  sir,  be  a  matter  of  profitable  inquiry, 
to  ascertain  the  cause  of  this  want  of  information,  with  a 
view,  if  possible,  by  a  subsequent  investigation  of  facts,  of 
removing  the  obstacles  to  a  more  general  diffusion  of  light 
and  truth? 

In  searching  for  the  origin  of  Anti-masonry,  we  discover 
it  as  proceeding  exclusively  from  the  fact,  that  in  the  year 
1826,  a  great  outrage  was  committed  in  the  western  part 


LETTER  t.  7 

of  New- York,  against  the  peace  of  the  people  and  the  nna- 
jesty  of  the  laws.  An  extensive  conspiracy  was  formed 
against  a  free  citizen,  commencing  in  his  seizure  and  abduc- 
tion, and  ending  in  his  murder.  The  men  engaged  in  this 
foul  conspiracy,  thus  terminating  in  a  deed  of  blood,  belong- 
ed to  the  society  of  Freemasons ;  and  the  life  of  the  victim 
was  taken,  as  a  punishment  for  a  disclosure,  on  his  part,  of 
what  have  been  deemed  the  secrets  of  that  institution.  The 
fact  of  the  abduction  and  murder  having  been  satisfactorily 
ascertained,  the  people  of  that  section  of  country,  laboring 
under  a  very  honest  feeling  of  indignation  at  the  perpetra- 
tion of  such  an  outrage,  set  themselves  about  a  thorough 
investigation  of  this  black  transaction.  But  they  soon  found 
their  investigations  embarrassed,  by  Freemasons,  in  every 
way  that  ingenuity  could  devise.  At  that  time,  by  the  then 
existing  law  of  the  state,  grand  jurors  w^ere  selected  and 
summoned  by  the  sheriffs  of  counties.  In  one  county,  sus- 
picion was  strongly  fastened  upon  the  sheriff' himself;  and 
the  grand  jurors  summoned  by  him  refused  to  find  bills,  where 
the  ex-parte  testimony  was  on  all  hands  believed  to  be  suf- 
ficient to  put  the  offenders  upon  their  trial.  In  some  instan- 
ces, where  convictions  were  had  for  the  lesser  crime  of  ab- 
duction, the  parties  offending,  so  far  from  having  been  expel- 
led from  their  respective  lodges  for  their  crimes,  received  aid 
and  comfort  from  their  brethren.  In  others,  sonie  witnesses 
stood  mute ;  others  were  believed  to  have  perjured  them- 
selves; while  in  other  cases,  the  Masons  on  the  petit  juries, 
would  refuse  to  convict,  even  where  the  testimony  was 
strong  as  proofs  of  holy  writ.  The  arm  of  the  law  was 
raised,  and  the  power  and  authority  of  the  state  invoked  and 
exercised  in  vain  ;  while  the  grand  supervising  bodies  of  the 
Masonic  institution,  were  themselves  strongly  suspected  of 
favoring  the  cause  of  the  accused.  The  natural  conse^ 
quence  of  such  a  chain  of  circumstances,  was  to  increase  the 
excitement  of  the  people  at  every  new  developement  of  facts^ 


O  LETTER  I. 

and  to  chafe  them  into  a  yet  more  angry  mood,  with  every 
successive  disappointment.  A  large  portion  of  the  press, 
moreover,  either  observed  an  ominous  silence,  or  attempted 
to  heap  ridicule  upon  those  who  honestly  beheved  the  blood 
of  an  innocent  man  to  be  crying  from  the  ground  for  ven- 
geance. 

Thus  irritated  and  inflamed,  the  Anti-masons  no  longer 
confined  their  denunciations  to  a  few  misguided  Masonic  fa- 
natics at  the  west,  but  proceeded  in  no  measured  terms,  to 
denounce  the  whole  fraternity,  and  to  hold  the  institution  of 
Freemasonry  itself  as  directly  responsible  for  the  alleged 
murder.  At  one  time  it  was  said  that  the  Grand  Lodge,  at 
another  that  the  Grand  Chapter,  and  at  another  that  the 
General  Grand  Chapter,  had  directly  authorised  and  requir- 
ed the  murder  of  the  victim — whose  name,  I  need  not  add, 
was  William  Morgan.  Nay,  more,  an  illustrious  citizen, 
now  no  more,  whose  life  was  a  pattern  of  public  and  private 
integrity  and  virtue,  and  whose  name  is  proudly  associated 
with  the  glory  of  his  country,  was  basely  coupled  with  the 
conspirators ;  while  newspaper  files,  and  the  records  of  coro- 
ners' offices,  were  ransacked  for  cases  of  suicide,  to  be  charg- 
ed as  so  many  additional  murders  upon  the  Freemasons.  A 
number  of  seceding  Masons  disclosed  a  series  of  oaths,  pur- 
porting to  be  those  administered  in  the  lodges  and  chap- 
ters, which,  unexplained,  look  frightfully  enough,  I  admit ; 
but  which,  according  to  the  construction  put  upon  them 
by  the  Anti-masons,  would  not  only  cover  every  crime 
and  every  enormity,  against  the  laws  alike  of  God  and 
man,  that  Masons  could  commit,  but  would  compel  the 
participation  in  crime,  of  all  who  have  taken  such  obliga- 
tions. Feeling  keenly  the  injustice  of  such  sweeping  de- 
nunciations, the  Masons,  in  turn,  became  highly  exaspera- 
ted. Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  men,  as  virtuous 
and  as  pure  in  their  lives  and  conversation  as  any  in  the  re- 
public— men  exalted  by  their  talents,  and  the  splendor  of 


LETTER  I.  9 

their  public  services — or  for  their  piety  and  benevolence  in 
the  walks  of  private  life— of  a  sudden  found  themselves  charg- 
ed v^^ith  infidelity,  blasphemy,  and  murder.     They  could 
not  brook  it.     Many  thousands  of  them  were  only  nominal- 
ly Freemasons.     They  had  joined  the  society  when  young 
men,  as  a  benevolent  social  institution,  relinquishing  it  in  a 
few  years,  to  attend  to  the  more  important  concerns  of  life, 
but  without  perceiving  any  harm  in  it.     There  were  thou- 
sands and  tens  of  thousands  more,  preserving  their  relation- 
ship to  the  institution,  who  absolutely  not  only  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  abduction  and  murder  of  William  Morgan — but 
who  had  actually  never  heard  of  the  person,  or  his  book,  until 
months  after  his  bones  were  whitening  at  the  bottom  of  the 
Niagara.     And  again,  there  were  thousands  of  Masons,  as 
well  as  others,  who  believed,  (and  many  of  them  so  believe 
unto  this  day,)  that  the  whole  story  of  the  abduction  and 
murder  was  an  ingeniously  devised  fiction,  got  up  for  the 
purpose  of  realiznig  a  fortune  from  the  sale  of  a  book — pre- 
tending to  be  a  revelation  of  the  secrets  of  Freemasonry, 
All  these  classes  of  Masons  felt  not  only  insulted,  but  ag- 
grieved, at  the  wholesale  charges  brought  against  them. 
When  personally  assailed,  it  was  in  vain  that  they  opened 
their  mouths  in  explanation  or  defence,  or  that  they  expres- 
sed the  deep  abhorrence  with  which  they  looked  upon  th© 
crime  that  had  been  committed.     They  were  roughly  told 
that  those  oaths,  those  horrible  oaths,  were  upon  them,  and 
that  consequently  it  was  utterly  out  of  their  power  to  speajj; 
the  truth  of  the  order.     The  effect  upon  the  social  relations, 
m  many  peaceful  communities,  was  such  as  all  good  men 
could  but  deplore.    Friendships  were  broken  amongst  neighs 
bors;  the  harmony  of  the  social  fire-side  was  destroyed ;  the 
pastors  of  the  christian  religion  were  driven  from  their 
flocks,  and  exemplary  professors  thrust  rudely  from  the  com- 
munion table. 


iO  LETTER   r. 

Thus  arose  a  mutual  state  of  distrust  and  exasperation. 
Many  thousands  of  honest  and  inteUigent  men  have  brought 
themselves  to  believe,  that  Masons  have  so  bound  themselves 
by  horrible  oaths,  that  they  are  disqualified  for  performing 
the  duty  even  of  good  citizens — much  less  for  discharging 
faithfully  the  duties  imposed  by  civil  trusts  of  any  descrip- 
tion whatever.  And  they  are  consequently  from  year  to 
year  appealing  to  the  ballot  boxes  for  such  a  decision  from 
the  people,  as  will  sustain  their  views.  While  on  the  other 
hand,  the  great  majority  of  the  Masons,  particularly  be- 
yond the  state  of  New- York,  and  the  numerous  body  with- 
in the  state,  who  feel  a  proud  consciousness  of  their  own 
individual  honor  and  integrity,  and  who  condemn  the  Mor- 
gan outrage  as  much  as  the  most  indignant  Anti-mason  can 
do  it,  are  bent  on  opposing  the  crusade  against  them  with 
equal  pertinacity.  Sorry  am  I  to  add  my  fears,  that  the  ob- 
stinacy on  both  sides,  is  but  too  often  indulged  at  the  ex- 
pense of  what  the  paities  know  and  feel  to  be  the  true  inter- 
ests of  the  country. 

Such  a  state  of  feeling,  it  w^ill  readily  be  conceded,  is  in 
no  wise  favorable  to  a  calm  investigation  as  to  the  merits 
of  the  controversy.  On  the  one  hand,  the  Anti-masons  per- 
sist in  holding  the  whole  Masonic  fraternity  guilty — impu- 
ting that  guilt  to  the  nature  of  the  institution  itself — and  re- 
fusing to  allow  any  explanations  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
Freemasonry  was  received,  understood  and  practised  by  vir- 
tuous and  intelligent  men.  Such  explanations,  they  afiect 
to  believe,  would  not  only  be  cx-park\  but  unworthy  of  cre- 
dit, on  account  of  the  "horrible  oaths."  Indeed  they  invert 
the  sound  maxim  of  the  common  law,  which  declares  that 
every  man  is  to  be  considered  innocent  until  he  is  proved 
guilty,  and  believe  every  Mason  guilty  who  is  not  proved 
innocent.  On  the  other  hand,  an  equally  strong  prejudictj 
against  the  Anti-masons,  has  prevented  the  vast  body  of  Ma- 


LETTER   I.  11 

&ons,  who  are  in  truth  and  in  fact  innocent  of  all  the  charges 
directly  advanced,  or  insinuated  against  them,  from  that 
full  and  impartial  inquiry  into  the  whole  history  of  the  Mor- 
gan outrage,  which  its  importance  demands.  The  conse- 
quence is,  that  they  are  not  aware  of  the  extent  to  which 
the  Masonic  institution  of  this  state,  stands  compromised  in 
relation  to  the  Morgan  outrage,  and  the  subsequent  efforts 
to  succor,  and  even  to  screen,  the  guilty;  They,  on  their 
part,  moreover,  look  upon  the  Anti-masonic  publications 
as  ex-parte,  and  will  not  believe  them. 

Here,  in  my  opinion,  lies  the  great  difficulty  in  question^ 
The  mutual  hostility  of  the  parties,  engendered  as  I  have 
related,  has  prevented  that  calm  and  deliberate  search  after 
truth  that  is  needed.  These  asperities  must  be  softened. 
The  Anti-masons  must  be  made  to  perceive,  that,  whatever 
they  may  think  of  Freemasonry  itself,  their  indiscriminate 
proscription  of  its  members,  whom  they  know  to  be  pure  and 
virtuous,  patriotic  and  upright  citizens,  is  cruel  and  unjust. 
The  Masons,  on  their  part,  must  in  like  manner  be  made  to 
perceive,  that  there  has  been  great  cause  for  the  excitement 
and  indignation  of  the  Anti-masons.  They  must  likewise  be 
made  to  perceive,  that  the  masonic  institution,  having  over  a 
wide  region  of  country  been  corrupted  and  abused — nay, 
stained  with  blood  which  its  officers  have  not  tried  to  wipe 
away — is  liable  to  be  so  abused  and  corrupted  again ;  and, 
therefore,  that  it  cannot  and  ought  not  longer  to  be  sustained. 

To  produce  these  results,  is  the  design  of  the  undertaking 
upon  which  I  have  now  commenced.  In  the  minds  of  many, 
the  attempt  may  argue  on  my  part  no  small  degree  of 
presumption.  Still,  I  have  the  vanity  to  believe  I  shall  be 
in  a  degree  successful — that  my  labors  will  tend,  in  some 
small  measure  at  least,  to  advance  the  cause  of  truth  and 
justice.  The  Anti-masons  know  me  well.  They  know  that 
from  the  outset,  my  course  upon  the  subject  of  this  unhappy 
excitement,  and  the  tragical  cause  of  it,  has  been  open, 


13  1.KTTEJI  I. 

straight-forward,  free  and  independent.  They  know  that 
neither  threats,  nor  abuse,  nor  motives  of  self-interest,  have 
deterred  me  from  speaking  or  pubhshing  the  truth — and  the 
whole  truth.  By  them,  therefore,  I  shall  be  read  and  be- 
lieved. The  intelligent  and  virtuous  members  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  likewise  know  me.  They  know  me  as  a 
Mason,  who,  for  ample  cause,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  has 
not  attended  the  sittings  of  any  lodge,  since  the  atrocity  of 
the  west  was  disclosed,  but  who  has  nevertheless  made  na 
renunciation.  By  them,  therefore,  I  likewise  trust  I  shall  be 
read,  and  I  hope  also  by  them  to  be  believed.  In  any  event, 
my  aim  will  be  impartiality  and  truth.  The  search  for  the. 
latter,  I  am  aware,  will  be  laborious,  even  if  it  can  at  all 
times  be  discerned.  "  Truth,"  to  borrow  a  beautiful  simile 
from  Milton,  "came  once  into  the  world  with  her  divine 
"master,  and  was  a  perfect  shape,  most  glorious  to  look  on  : 
"but  when  he  ascended,  and  his  apostles  after  him  were  laid 
"asleep,  there  straiglit  arose  a  wicked  race  of  deceivers,  who 
"as  the  story  goes  of  the  Egyptian  Typhon  with  his  conspir- 
^'ators,  how  they  dealt  with  the  good  Osiris,  took  the  virgin 
**  Truth,  hewed  her  lovel}^  frame  into  a  thousand  pieces,  and 
<*  scattered  them  to  the  four  winds.  From  that  time  ever  since, 
"the  sad  friends  of  Truth,  such  as  durst  appear,  imitating  the 
"careful  search  that  Isis  made  for  the  mangled  body  of  Osiris, 
"went  up  and  down  gathering  up  limb  by  limb  still  as  they 
"could  find  them."  Like  the  widowed  divinity  of  the  my- 
thology, I,  also,  shall  search  up  and  down  after  the  scattered 
members  of  tlie  victim  ;  and  although  I  may  not  promise  in 
bringing  together  every  joint  and  limb  to  mould  them  a» 
Isis  did,  into  "an  immortal  feature  of  loveliness  and  perfec- 
"tion,"  yet  I  trust  I  shall  not  fail  in  presenting  her  plain,  honest 
features,  though  in  humble  garb,  to  the  recognition  of  the 
public. 

It  is  no  part  of  my  design  to  write  a  vindication  of  Free- 
masonry, as  such.    Its  character,  its  usefulness,  and  its  res^ 


LETTER  I.  10 

pectability  are  gone,  and  its  officers  and  members,  through- 
out the  Union,  would  act  wisely  to  bury  all  their  tools  and 
implements,  and  inscribe  the  name  ICHABOD  on  the  cap- 
stone. But  it  will  be  my  object  to  describe  Freemasonry 
as  I  received,  understood,  and  practised  it  myself,  and  as  it 
has  been  received,  understood  and  practised  by  the  hundreds 
of  excellent  men — of  sound  heads,  and  pure  hearts, — whom 
I  have  known  to  be  Freemasons,  and  with  whom,  before  the 
black  outrage  which  has  disgraced  and  destroyed  the  insti- 
tution, I  have  had  the  happiness  to  associate  in  the  lodge 
room.  Having  discharged  tliis  duty  to  those  of  my  brethren 
who  are  worthy  citizens,  and  having,  (as  I  hope  I  shall  be 
able  to  do,)  relieved  them  from  a  heavy  weight  of  the  odium 
unjustly  cast  upon  such  Masons,  I  shall  next  proceed  to  give 
a  full  and  impartial  history,  without  fear,  favor  or  affection, 
of  or  for  any  one,  of  the  origin,  rise  and  progress  of  Anti- 
masonry — nothing  extenuating,  nor  setting  down  aught  in 
malice — embracing  an  account  of  the  original  quarrel  w4th 
Morgan,  together  with  a  succinct  history  of  the  several  tri- 
als that  have  taken  place  in  relation  to  the  subject,  with  all 
the  pertinent  and  material  facts  elicited,  in  testimony,  togeth- 
er with  such  other  incidental  information  as  may  be  found 
interesting  and  authentic. 

You  will  perceive,  sir,  that  1  have  entered  upon  a  wide 
field  of  investigation ;  but  I  hope  in  the  course  of  the  winter 
to  accomplish  the  task  in  a  manner  that  will  be  equally  sa- 
tisfactory to  yourself  and  the  public,  while  at  the  same  time 
its  tendency  may  be  to  allay  excitement  and  animosity,  and 
to  produce  a  better  understanding  among  good  men  now 
widely  apart,  but  who  love  the  country  and  its  inhabitants 
with  equal  ardor  and  sincerity. 

I  am,  sir,  with  sentiments  of  high  respect, 

Your  very  humble  servant^ 


14  LETTER  II. 


LETTER  IL 

New- York,  Nov.  25,  1881. 
Snt, 

Pursuing  the  design  of  this  correspondence,  in  the  man- 
ner indicated  in  my  former  Letter,  it  will  be  first  in  order 
to  speak  of  the  Masonic  institution  as  I  first  became  ac- 
quainted with  it.  My  object  in  making  this  exposition  is 
two-fold,  viz :  to  show,  not  only,  (as  I  have  previously  inti- 
mated,) how  gentlemen  of  intelligence  and  moral  worth, 
have  received  and  understood  the  subject,  but  to  show  also, 
how  they  could  consistently  remain  attached  to  the  institu- 
tion, so  long  at  least  as  they  supposed  it  to  be  free  from 
crime,  and  incapable  of  abuse,  notwithstanding  the  ridicule 
which  has  been  cast  upon  its  ceremonies  by  caricature-re- 
presentations. Much  of  the  language  of  Freemasonry  is 
allegorical ;  and  the  emblems  and  symbols  used,  are,  many 
of  them,  pregnant  with  useful  instruction.  The  moral  vir- 
tues and  duties,  and  some  of  the  soundest  religious  truths, 
are  imprinted  on  the  mind,  and  impressed  upon  the  memoiy, 
by  lively  and  sensible  images ; — and  although  I  have  never 
witnessed  any  of  the  burlesque  representations  to  which  I 
have  just  referred,  I  can  yet  easily  perceive  how  they  may 
be  rendered  exceedingly  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  a  popular 
audience,  by  a  mock  display  upon  the  stage.  But  this  fact 
is  no  evidence  either  of  weakness  or  folly,  on  the  part  of  those 
who  are  actually  receiving  moral  instruction  from  these 
symbolic  lessons,  in  a  well  regulated  lodge  room. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1815,  that  I  was 
initiated  into  the  first,  or  entered  apprentice's  degree  of  Ma- 
soiiry,  in  the  lodge  at  Hudson,  in  the  county  of  Columbia, 


LETTER  II.  16 

(N.  Y.)     1  was  moved  to  take  the  leap  in  the  dark,  more  by 
that  prurient  curiosity  incident  to  our  species,  than  from  any 
other  consideration.     In  common  with  others,  I  had  heard 
much  of  the  antiquity  of  the  order,  but  had  never  taken  the 
trouble  to  examine  its  vaunted  pretensions,  and  cared  little 
about  them.     My  impression  was,  that  it  might  possibly 
date  its  associated  origin  back  to  the  period  of  the  crusades, 
but  probably  no  farther.     Certainly,  the  idea  that  by  joining 
the  society,  I  was  to  become  possessed  of  some  mighty  se- 
cret of  priceless  value,  and  infinite  importance,  or  that  my 
mind  was  suddenly  to  be  illuminated  by  a  blaze  of  intellec- 
tual light,  after  entering  the  lodge  room,  was  far  from  being 
entertained.     Still,  however,  after  having  been  conducted 
through  the  ceremonies,  which  were  well  administered,  by 
expert  officers,  and  which,  with  the  explanations  given,  ap- 
peared, to  say  the  least,  very  harmless,  candor  obliges  me  to 
confess  that  I  felt  not  a  little  disappointed.     But  it  was  a 
disappointment  at,  I  knew  not  what, — a  sort  of  undefinable 
sensation — neither  a  positive  feeling  of  dissatisfaction,  nor 
of  chagrin,  but  yet  a  little  of  both.     Probably  I  felt  some- 
thing like  the  Syrian  leper,  when  the  prophet,  instead  of 
going  out  and  "  doing  some  great  thing,"  told  him  simply  to 
go  w^ash  himself  in  the  river.     There  were  at  the  time 
about  a  dozen  of  us,  young  gentlemen,  at  lodgings  together, 
several  of  the  elder  of  whom  were  already  Masons  of  some 
years  standing ;  and  whenever  these  returned  from  the 
lodge,  it  v/as  often  the  habit  of  the  residue  of  the  circle,  to 
indulge,  sometimes  in  harmless  pleasantries  at  their  expense, 
and  at  others  in  severer  satires.     And  it  is  not  unlikely  that 
these  very  conversations  were  the  im.mediate  cause  of  our 
joining  the  institution.     I  use  the  plural  pronoun,  because,  to 
my  infinite  surprise,  when  I  was  *  brought  from  darkness  to 
light,'  to  use  the  language  of  the  craft, — being  the  last  of  a 
number  of  candidates  admitted  on  that  evening, — I  found  se- 
veral of  my  daily  companions  initiates   before   me.     Au 


16  LETTER  II. 

cclaircisscnient  was  now  inevitable,  and  the  fact  w^as  of 
course  disclosed,  that  we  had  each  taken  the  preparatory 
measures  for  initiation  with  so  much  secrecy  that  neither 
had  indicated  his  intention  to  his  most  confidential  friends. 
Two  of  the  number  were  promising  young  clergymen,  one 
of  whom  is  now  a  divine  in  Philadelphia,  distinguished  alike 
for  his  eloquence  and  his  piety.  I  could  easily  discern  that 
the  feelings  of  all  these  were  in  unison  with  my  own.  Nor 
did  the  same  observation,  in  regard  to  all  the  eleves,  escape 
the  attention  of  older  members  of  the  fraternity,  and  they  ac- 
cordingly very  soon  re-assured  us,  by  stating  the  fact,  that 
the  first  step,  or  degree,  was  merely  intended  to  introduce 
the  candidate  into  the  lodge,  and  that  the  higher  mysteries 
of  the  order  would  be  disclosed  to  us  afterwards.  In"  the 
mean  time  the  lectures  appertaining  to  the  first  degree,  and 
the  charges,  were  duly  recited  to  us,  and  with  efl?ect.  I 
have  already  mentioned,  incidentally,  the  importance  of  hav- 
ing officers  who  understand  their  duties,  and  who  are  w^ithal 
men  of  intelligence,  and  education.  To  the  want  of  presi- 
ding officers  of  this  description,  may  probably  be  attributed, 
in  a  great  measure,  the  deplorable  transactions  of  which  it 
will  hereafter  be  my  duty  to  speak  in  terms  of  the  strongest 
condemnation.  On  the  present  occasion,  however,  there- 
was  no  cause  of  fault-finding  upon  this  score.  The  emblems 
of  this  degree,  of  which  I  shall  speak  more  at  large,  in  an- 
other communication,  when  I  come  to  discuss  the  charge 
brought  against  the  institution  of  infidelity,  were  happily 
and  readily  explained.  The  most  prominent  of  these  em- 
blems, was  the  star  in  the  east,  which  guided  the  eastern 
Magi  to  the  humble  couch  of  the  infant  Saviour  of  men. 
There  were  other  emblems,  teaching,  first,  the  propriety  of 
maintaining  regularity  of  life,  and  attending  to  the  due  im- 
provement of  time,  by  conforming  to  the  prescribed  rules  for 
which,  eight  hours  were  allotted  to  repose,  eight  to  labor, 
and  eight  to  the  service  of  God.     Secondly,  the  cleansing  of 


LETTER    II.  17 

our  hearts  and  minds  from  every  vice,  was  inculcated— 
**  thereby  fitting  our  bodies,  as  living  stones,"  for  that  spirit- 
ual edifice  built  by  the  great  architect  of  the  universe,  be- 
yond the  stars.     There  w^ere  other  emblems  in  this  first 
step,  representing  human  life  as  being  chequered  with  good 
and  evil ; — pointing  to  the  comforts  and  blessings  that  sur- 
round us  ; — and  impressing  upon  our  minds  the  necessity  of 
our  reliance  upon  divine  providence.  Our  imperfect  condition 
by  nature  was  likewise  adverted  to,  and  the  state  of  perfec- 
tion to  which  we  hope  to  arrive  by  a  virtuous  education, 
aided  by  the  blessing  of  God  upon  our  own  endeavors,  and 
a  due  observance  of  the  holy  scriptures,  as  pointing  out  the 
whole  duty  of  man.     Indeed  every  thing  in  this  degree  was 
adapted  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  candidate  the  neces- 
sity of  maintaining  purity  of  Hfe  and  conduct,  in  order  to 
ensure  a  happy  immortality.     The  badge  of  the  degree,  we 
were  informed,  was  a  white  lamb-skin — an  emblem  of  in- 
nocence and  purity  of  life.     Our  minds,  we  were  told,  were 
to  be  continually  directed  to  heaven  ;  and  in  explanation  of 
the  emblem  of  a  ladder  upon  the  Masonic  carpet,  we  were 
referred  to  that  singular  vision  of  Jacob,  so  expressly  sym- 
bolical of  the  universal  providence  of  God — the  flight  of 
steps  uniting  earth  and  heaven,  with  the  ministering  angels 
continually  ascending  and  descending — watching  over  us, 
and,  as  it  were,  conveying  the  wants  of  m.an  to  his  maker, 
and  bringing  down  the  commands  and  the  blessings  of  his 
maker  to  his  creatures.     Instructive  lessons  were  likewise 
inculcated  upon  the  moral  duties  of  brotherly  love,  the  relief 
of  the  distressed,  and  the  attribute  of  truth,  as  the  foundation 
of  all  virtue.     This  part  of  the  exercise  was  succeeded  by 
a  satisfactory  explanation  of  the  four  cardinal  virtues  of 
temperance,  fortifude,  prudence,  and  justice.     The  result  of 
the  performance,  on  the  whole,  imparted  satisfaction ;  and  the 
ceremony  of  closing  the  lodge,  the  utmost  solemnity  and 
order  being  preserved,  was  striking  and  agreeable.     TI>e 


19  LETTER   II. 

beautiful  words  of  the  closing  prayer : — "  May  the  blessing 
»'  of  heaven  rest  upon  us,  and  all  regular  Masons  I  May 
"  brotherly  love  prevail,  and  every  moral  and  social  virtue 
"  cement  us,"  w^ith  the  universal  response  of  "  Amen" — fell 
upon  our  ears  impressively. 

On  the  next  night  of  meeting,  the  initiates  v^-ere  of  course 
allowed  to  be  present  at  the  opening  of  tlie  lodge  :  and 
equally  impressive  on  that  occasion  was  the  ceremony,  as 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  last  sitting — every  thing  being  con- 
ducted in  such  manner  as  to  inculcate  respect  for  those  in 
authority,  with  solemn  reverence  and  adoration  for  the  dei- 
ty, whose  blessing  and  direction  in  our  labors,  was  invoked 
— ^not  in  a  light  and  thoughtless  manner,  as  some  may  per- 
haps infer,  but  with  the  gravity  and  decency  of  a  well  regu- 
lated church.  The  charge  on  opening  a  lodge,  is  in  the  words 
of  the  1 33d  psalm  : — "  Behold  !  how  good  and  how  plea« 
"  sant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  !  It  is  like 
"  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon 
"  the  beard,  even  Auron's  beard,  that  went  down  to  the  skirts' 
"  of  his  garments  ;  as  the  dew  of  Hermon,  that  descended 
"  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion  ;  for  there  the  Lord  com- 
*'  manded   a  blessing,   even  life   for  evermore."     Such  a 

,  charge,  being  appropriately  pronounced  to  an  audience  ap- 
parently feeling  the  force  of  every  word,  was  certainly  well 
calculated  to  arrest  the  attention,  and,  for  a  time  at  least,  ta 
soften  the  asperities  of  temper,  to  chasten  the  mind  and  the 

,  •  heart,  and  in  all  respects  to  make  a  favorable  impression, 
even  upon  those  whose  temperaments  and  habits  were  not 
of  a  decidedly  religious  character. 

And  here — (for  I  shall  probably  not  have  a  better  place) — 
it  occurs  to  me  to  answer  an  oft-repeated  accusation  against 
the  Masons,  which  has  not  been  originated,  like  many  others, 
since  the  Morgan  outrage,  and  the  consequent  excitement, 

V  but  which  is  of  long  standing :  I  mean  the  charge  of  in» 
temperance,  and  riotous  excesses,  in  the  lodges ;  and  that* 


LETTER  II,  19 

too,  at  the  expense  of  the  funds,  collected,  as  it  is  pretended, 
for  charitable  purposes.  I  know  not  what  may  have  been 
the  practice  in  lodges,  and  among  Masons,  capable  of  plot- 
ting the  abduction,  and  compassing  the  murder,  of  a  free  ci- 
tizen. But  I  do  know,  that  within  what  was  once  the  wide 
circle  of  my  Masonic  acquaintance,  the  charge  is  wholly,, 
and  in  all  respects,  untrue.  There  are  portions  of  the  cere- 
monies, that  necessarily  create  some  noise,  and  apparent 
confusion,  and  which,  being  heard  in  other  parts  of  the  hous- 
es containing  lodge-rooms,  may,  and  probably  have,  at 
times,  induced  the  opinion,  that  the  sounds  arose  from  carou- 
sals, and  obstreperous  mirth.  Yet,  as  far  as  my  observation 
has  extended,  such  was  not  the  fact.  When  I  first  joined 
the  order,  and  for  about  two  years  thereafter,  it  was  the 
custom  "  to  call  from  labor  to  refreshment,"  to  be  technical 
again,  for  a  short  time  before  the  final  closing  of  the  lodge. 
But  the  refreshments  were  invariably  of  the  most  simple 
description,  being  confined  to  crackers  and  cheese,  and 
sometimes  a  cold  cut  of  ham,  with  a  moderate  supply  of 
cider,  or  spirits  and  water — nothing  more.  Wine  was  ne- 
ver introduced,  except  on  the  two  festivals  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist, and  the  Evangelist — these  two  being  the  only  festivals 
the  celebration  of  which  was  allowed  within  the  lodges. 
Even  those  simple  and  very  frugal  refreshments  were  pro- 
hibited, however,  in  the  year  1817,  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  and 
from  that  day  to  the  present,  no  ardent  spirits  have  been 
allowed  within  the  lodges.  When  the  lodge  was  temporari- 
ly closed,  for  refreshment,  the  members  were  told  that  they 
might  enjoy  themselves  with  innocent  mirth  ;  but  the  charge 
was  explicit — "  You  are  carefully  to  avoid  excess.  You 
*'  are  not  to  compel  any  brother  to  act  contrary  to  his  incli- 
^'  nation,  or  give  ofifence  by  word  or  deed,  but  enjoy  a  free 
«  and  easy  conversation.  You  are  to  use  no  immoral  or 
*'  obscene  discourse,  but  at  all  times  to  support  with  proprie- 
**  ty,  the  dignity  of  your  character," 


20  LETTER   ir. 

It  is  true  that  in  some  of  the  more  select  lodges,  *feueh  as 
the  Holland  Lodge,  and  the  Adclphi,  in  this  city,  suppers 
are  spread,  at  the  close  of  the  winter  monthly  communica- 
tions ;  and  collations  of  cold  tongues,  fruits,  &:c.,  during  the 
warm  season.  But  these  meals  are,  in  all  cases,  paid  for 
by  the  private  subscriptions  of  members.  In  no  instance, 
previously  to  the  year  1827,  did  I  ever  know,  or  even  sus- 
pect, a  prodigal  or  improper  use  of  the  fund  sacred  to  the 
cause  of  charity.  And  in  no  societies  of  men,  associated  for 
any  purpose  whatever,  have  I  uniformly  witnessed  more 
grave,  orderly  and  decorous  conduct  than  in  the  lodge  room. 
The  prayers  of  the  various  services  are  as  devotional  as  the 
excellent  Hturgy  of  the  episcopal  church ;  and  whenever 
clergymen  have  been  present,  as  members,  or  visiting  breth- 
ren, the  practice  has  usually  been  to  lay  aside  the  forms, 
and  request  them  to  officiate  in  their  stead.  I  have  now  in 
my  eye,  several  clergymen,  some  of  them  in  this  city,  emi- 
nent for  their  talents  and  piety,  to  whom  I  could  appeal  for 
the  correctness  of  this  declaration.  So  far,  then,  as  it  re- 
spects the  charges  of  rio^tous  and  excessive  eating  and 
drinking,  of  disorderly  and  unseemly  conduct  in  the  lodge- 
room,  and  of  wasting  or  perverting  the  charity  funds,  I 
trust  that  I  have  succeeded  in  eflacing  the  misrepresenta- 
tion. Yet,  still,  I  am  not  prepared  to  deny,  that  the  tenden- 
cy of  frequent  lodge  meetings,  operating  upon  men  of  weak 
minds  and  idle  habits — men,  in  short,  who  ought  never  to 
have  been  admitted  as  members — may  not  always  have 
been  of  the  happiest  description.  The  frequent  association 
of  numbers  of  men,  at  taverns,  particularly  in  country  villa- 
ges, and  the  keeping  of  late  hours,  have  always  an  unfavorable 
effect  upon  the  morals  of  those  who  thus  assemble  together. 
But  the  effect  is  equally  pernicious,  and  equally  certain, 
whether  these  collections  are  occasioned  by  Masonic  lodg- 
es, or  sheriffs'  juries,  or  justices'  courts,  military  trainings, 
cattle  shows,  or  country  auctions.     And  if  Masons  fall  into 


LETTER    II*  21 

habits  of  indolence  or  intemperance,  in  consequence  of  clus- 
tering together  at  public  houses,  they  do  so  in  defiance 
alike  of  the  example  and  instruction  of  the  lodge-room, 
where  they  are  solemnly  charged  "  to  avoid  all  irregularity 
"  and  intei^perance."  And  if,  therefore,  the  same  vices  beset 
the  hangers-on  of  petty  courts,  and  the  loungers  about  coun- 
try stores,  (fee,  why  should  the  Masonic  lodges  alone  be 
singled  out  for  condemnation?  But  I  have  digressed 
farther  than  I  had  intended,  and  must  return  to  the  subject 
directly  in  hand,  viz :  the  second  degree,  or  step,  of  Free- 
masonry. 

In  the  course  of  the  ceremonies  of  this  second,  or  fellowr 
craft's  degree,  there  was  a  recapitulation  of  the  ceremonies 
of  the  first.  The  emblems  of  the  degree,  we  were  told, 
v/ere  the  plumb-line,  the  square,  and  the  level — the  first  ad- 
monishing us  to  walk  uprightly  before  God  and  man ;  the 
second,  to  square  our  actions  by  the  square  of  virtue  ;  and 
the  third,  that  We  are  all  travelling  upon  the  level  of  time, 
"  to  that  undiscovered  country  from  whose  bourne  no  tra- 
"  veller  returns."  The  idea  of  the  plumb-line  is  taken  from 
the  prophecy  of  Amos,  vii.  7,  8,  which  is  read  in  conferring 
the  degree.  The  lessons  and  lectures  of  this  degree  are 
copious,  embracing  the  definitions  of  operative  and  specula- 
tive Masonry  ;  some  account  of  the  globe  and  its  uses,  well 
adapted  to  a  juvenile  class  in  a  common  school ;  brief  and 
correct  accounts  of  the  five  several  orders  of  architecture, 
of  which,  however,  we  were  told  that  no  more  than  three 
were  revered  by  Masonry,  viz  :  the  original  Doric,  Ionic» 
and  Corinthian  orders.  Next  followed  an  analysis  of  the 
five  external  senses,  of  hearing,  seeing,  feeling,  smelling, 
tasting.  To  this  succeeded  a  rapid  explanation  of  what 
were  denominated  the  seven  liberal  arts  and  sciences,  viz : 
grammar,  rhetoric,  logic,  arithmetic,  geometry,  music  and 
astronomy — all  of  which,  with  the  illustrations  thereto  added, 
would  no  doubt  have  been  vastly  edifying  to  the  younger 


^  LETTER   Hi. 

inmates  of  a  boarding  school,  and  would,  unquestionably, 
have  imprinted  on  their  tender  minds  many  wise  and  seri- 
ous truths.  With  a  charge  to  study  these  liberal  arts  ;  to 
believe  that  Masonry  and  Geometry  were  originally  the 
same  thing ;  to  observe  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  or- 
der ;  and  an  admonition  never  to  palliate  or  aggravate  the 
offences  of  our  brethren,  but  in  the  decision  of  every  rule  to 
judge  with  candor,  admonish  with  friendship,  and  reprehend 
with  justice,  we  found  ourselves  fellow-craftsmen,  "  worthy 
«'  and  well  qualified," — and  the  lodge  was  closed. 

Thus  far  my  companions  and  myself — for  we  continued 
to  travel  together  the  whole  journey,  after  Masonic  light — 
had  certainly  made  no  discovery  of  any  grand  secret ;  but 
as  we  had  seen  nothing  that  struck  us  as  being  particularly 
objectionable — nothing,  in  fact,  but  what  was  promotive  of 
philanthropy  and  benevolence — of  pure  morality,  if  not  of 
the  more  active  principles  of  religion — and  as  we  were  pro- 
mised much  of  the  "  sublime  and  beautiful"  in  the  degree 
next  in  order,  we  were  induced  to  proceed. 

Accept,  sir,  the  renewed  assurances  of  my  high  conside- 
j:ation,  &e. 


LETTER  III. 

New- York,  Nov.  27,  1831. 
Sir, 

Having  described  my  entrance  into  the  portals  of  the 
Masonic  edifice  in  my  last  communication,  the  next  duty  en- 
joined upon  myself,  is  the  discussion  of  the  third  step  of  Free- 
masonry, viz:  "the  sublime  degree  of  a  master  Mason." 
It  is  the  obligation  supposed  lo  be  given  in  this  degree,  in 
connexion  with  that  of  the  seventh,  or  royal  arch,  against 
wiiich  tlie  greatest  objections  have  been  raised  by  the  Antr- 


JLETTER  III  23 

masonic  party;  although  you,  sir,  have  assured  me,  that  the 
obligation  supposed  to  be  administered  in  conferring  the 
first  degree,  is  quite  enough,  in  your  view,  to  estabhsh  the 
wicked  character  of  the  institution.  You  will,  however,  have 
perceived,  sir,  that  in  neither  of  the  preceding  degrees,  of 
which  it  is  believed  a  true  and  faithful  account  has  been 
given,  have  I  spoken  of  the  obligations.  My  object  in 
avoiding  them  at  the  present  time,  is,  that  they  may  be 
made  the  subject  of  separate  consideration,  in  a  subsequent 
letter. 

After  the  lodge  has  been  regularly  opened  in  this  degree, 
the  work  is  introduced,  on  the  entrance  of  the  candidate,  by 
the  reading  of  that  beautiful  and  exquisitely  touching  portion 
of  the  penitential  hymn  of  king  Solomon,  called  the  Ecclesi- 
astes,  xii.  1, 7, — "Remember  now  thy  creator  in  the  days  of 
*'^thy  youth,"  &c.  In  the  course  of  the  ceremonies,  there  is 
a  prayer  of  deep  devotion  and  pathos,  composed  of  some  of 
the  most  sublime  and  affecting  passages  of  that  splendid  sa- 
cred drama  of  Araby,  the  book  of  Job.  This  prayer  in- 
cludes a  portion  of  the  burial  service  of  the  protestant  epis- 
copal church,  and  is  full  of  tenderness  and  beauty.  The 
working  tools  of  the  master  Mason,  we  were  informed,  were 
the  same  as  those  used  in  the  preceding  degrees,  with  the 
addition  of  the  trowel — an  implement  used  in  operative  Ma- 
sonry in  spreading  the  cement  which  unites  the  building  into 
one  common  mass;  but  in  speculative  Masonry,  it  is  a  fig- 
urative instrument  for  spreading  the  cement  of  brotherly 
love.  The  emblems  presented  and  explained  in  this  degree, 
were — the  pot  of  incense,  indicating  that  a  pure  heart  is 
ever  an  acceptable  sacrifice  to  the  deity,  "  and  as  this  glows 
*^  with  fervent  heat,  so  should  our  hearts  glow  with  grati- 
« tude  to  the  great  and  beneficent  author  of  our  existence,  for 
«*  the  manifold  blessings  and  comforts  we  enjoy."  The  book 
of  constitutions,  guarded  by  the  tyler's  sword,  teaches  watch- 
fulness and  caution,  in  our  thoughts,  words  and  action?. 


24  LETTER  III. 

The  sword  pointing  to  a  naked  heart,  denotes  that  justice 
will  sooner  or  later  overtake  us  ;  while  the  all-seeing  eye, 
reminds  us  that  our  thoughts,  words  and  actions,  though  hid- 
den from  the  eyes  of  men,  are  ever  scanned  by  the  search- 
er of  hearts.  Hope,  is  of  course  indicated  by  the  anchor, 
and  the  ark  is  to  waft  those  who  spend  their  lives  well,  over 
the  troublesome  sea  of  life,  into  that  peaceful  haven,  "  where 
^*  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary  are  at 
«  rest."  We  were  told  that  the  47th  problem  of  Euclid  is 
introduced  into  this  degree,  as  a  stimulus  to  Masons  to  be- 
come lovers  of  the  arts.  The  hour  glass  and  the  scythe,  were 
duly  explained  ;  the  former  as  an  emblem  of  human  life,  the 
sands  of  which  are  swiftly  running  away ;  and  the  latter  to 
show  how  easily  the  brittle  thread  of  life  is  cut,  and  what 
havoc  is  made  by  the  scythe  of  time.  The  last  emblems  of 
this  degree,  are  the  three  steps  delineated  on  the  Masonic 
carpet,  representing  the  three  stages  of  human  life — youth^ 
manhood,  and  age.  In  youth  we  were  charged  to  be  in- 
dustrious and  acquire  knowledge,  as  entered  apprentices ;  in 
manhood  to  apply  our  knowledge  in  a  suitable  discharge  of 
our  duties  to  God,  our  neighbors,  and  ourselves ;  and  in  age 
to  enjoy  the  consolations  of  a  well-spent  hfe,  in  the  hope  of 
a  glorious  immortality.  Another  definition  which  I  have 
seen  in  a  book  upon  Masonry,  but  never  heard  in  a  lodge, 
is,  that  the  three  degrees,  or  steps,  are  emblems  of  the  three 
divine  dispensations  of  grace, — the  antediluvian,  the  ma- 
sonic, and  the  christian :  the  first  inculcating  the  religion 
of  nature ;  and  the  others  the  existence  of  a  God,  and  our 
duty  to  him  and  our  neighbors.  I  know  not  whether  this 
has  ever  been  used  in  a  lodge.  But  that  the  antediluvian 
age  was  the  era  of  natural  religion,  particularly,  is  not  a  very 
sound  proposition  in  theology. 

The  illustrations  of  these  several  emblems,  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding degrees,  were  well  enough  ;  but  still  I  cannot  deny 
that  they  have  the  appearance  of  puerility.     I  have  often 


LETTER  III. 


m 


been  amused,  however,  at  the  close  resemblance  existing 
between  the  explanation  of  the  hour  glass,  which  no  doubt  has 
been  correctly  handed  down  to  us, "  in  due  and  ancient  form," 
and  a  memorable  passage  of  Shakspeare.     In  the  explana- 
tion of  this  emblem,  the  candidate  is  admonished,  at  the  close, 
almost  in  the  very  words  of  the  great  dramatist, — "  Thus 
**  wastes  man !  to-day,  he  puts  forth  the  tender  leaves  of  hope ; 
"  to-morrow  blossoms,  and  bears  his  blushing  honors  thick 
*'  upon  him ;  the  next  day  comes   a  frost,  which  nips  the 
*'  shoot,  and  when  he    thinks  his  greatness  is  still  aspiring, 
*'  he  falls,  like  autumn  leaves  to  enrich  our  mother  earth." 
It  has   been  urged  by  unbelievers  in   the   high   antiqui- 
ty of  Masonry,  that  the  bard  of  Avon,  who  has  ranged 
air,  earth,  and  ocean,  in  search  of  similes  and  figures  of 
speech,  would  in  some  way  or  other  have  alluded  to  the 
Freemasons,  had  the  institution  been  known  in  his  day. 
Undoubtedly  some  of  the  heroes,  wise  men,  or  clowns  of 
his  plays,  would  have  had  something  to  say  of,  or  about, 
Masonry,— some  commendations  to  bestow^  upon  it,  or  satires 
to  play  off  at  its  expense,  had  the  society  been  then  in  exis- 
tence.    The  fact,  I  believe,  is  true,  that  Shakspeare  has  not 
allowed  either  Falstaff,  or  Dame  Quickly,  or  any  other  of 
his  real  or  imaginary  characters,  to  allude  to  the  institution. 
And  yet  Cardinal  Wolsey,  when  "bidding  farewell  to  all  his 
"greatness,"  soliloquises  in  the  same  terms,  quoted  above, 
with  scarcely  a  change  of  words,  and  those  only  making  the 
language  rather  more  poetical. 

"  This  is  the  state  of  man  ;  to-day  he  puts  forth 
The  tender  leaves  of  hope,  to-morrow  blossoms, 
And  bears  his  blushing  honors  thick  upon  him : 
The  third  day  comes  a  frost,  a  killing  frost ; 
And  when  he  thinks,  good  easy  man,  full  surely 
His  greatness  is  a-ripening,  nips  his  root, — 
And  then  befalls,  as  I  do." 

Now,  whether  Shakspeare  borrowed  from  the  archives 
i»f  Masonry,  or  the  Masons  from  Shakspeare,  is  a  point 

4 


26  LETTER  III. 

which  I  will  leave  it  for  the  wisdom  of  others  to  determiner 
in  such  manner  as  may  best  suit  their  own  views. 

This  third  degree  is  a  favorite  with  Masons  generally^ 
being  considered  rather  as  a  chef  d'aeuvre  in  the  craft,  not 
even  excepting  the  more  exalted  degree  of  the  royal  arch. 
Indeed,  properly  speaking,,  there  are  but  three  degrees  of 
ancient  Masonry,  all  others  having  been  engrafted  upon  the 
original  stock,  within  the  last  hundred  years,  as  will  more 
fully  appear  hereafter.  It  is  in  this  degree  that  king  Solo- 
mon is  first  introduced  as  an  illustrious  exemplar  of  Mason- 
ry ;  and  it  is  here,  also,  that  the  lights  of  Masonic  tradition 
are  first  suffered  to  shine  upon  the  candidates — lights  whose 
rays,  of  course,  never  gleam  athwart  the  vision  of  the  un- 
initiated world- 

The  ceremonies  of  this  degree,  exclusive  of  the  mere 
forms  of  proceeding  in  imposing  the  obligation,  and  giving  the 
moral  instructions  already  noticed,,  are  dramatic,  and  there 
is  an  enactment  of  a  tragedy — not  a  real  c«ie,  however,  like 
that  of  Niagara — but  a  representation  intended  ta  exempli- 
fy a  singular  instance  of  virtue,  fortitude,  and  integrity. 
In  the  course  of  the  lecture,  the  history  of  the  building 
of  Solomon's  temple  is  adverted  to,  and  if  the  lodge-room  is 
well  furnished,  a  drawing  of  the  edifice  is  exhibited — suck 
as  we  all  have  seen,  though  upon  a  larger  scale,  drafted, 
of  course,  from  the  unscientific  and  altogether  unsatisfactory 
account  of  that  splendid  monument  af  the  wealth  of  the 
wisest  of  kings,  as  contauied  in  the  books  of  Kings 
and  Chronicles.  Explanations  are  attempted  of  the  size  of 
the  temple,  the  number  of  columns,  pilasters^  &c.,  and  a 
variety  of  architectural  details,  which  it  is  quite  unnecessa- 
ry for  me  to  enumerate.  The  account  of  the  scriptures^ 
eorroborated  by  Josephus,  is  given,  of  the  number  of  work- 
men employed  in  the  preparation  of  materials,  and  in  rear- 
ing this  wonderful  structure.  The  70,000  porters  of  bur- 
dens, of  the  scriptures,  are  masonically  called  entered  ap- 


LETTER  III.  27 

prentices  ;  and  in  like  manner,  the  80,000  hewers  of  stone, 
are  denominated  fellow-crafts.  The  sacred  historian  in- 
forms us  that  "Besides  the  chief  of  Solomon's  officers  that 
"  were  over  the  work,  there  were  three  thousand  and  three 
"  hundred  which  ruled  over  the  people  that  wrought  in  the 
**  work."  The  Masonic  tradition  assures  us  that  these  3300 
were  masters ;  and  over  the  whole  number,  three  grand  mas- 
ters presided.  These  t-hree  grand  masters  were  Solomon, 
king  of  Israel  -,  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre ;  and  Hiram  AbifF,  the 
chief  artist,  and  the  widow's  son,  mentioned  in  1  Kings,  vii, 
14,  and  again,  2  Chron.,  ii.  13.  These  three  grand -officers 
had  systematized  the  orders  of  Masonry — they  alone  pos- 
sessing  the  master  Mason's  word.  It  was  intended,  of 
course,  by  the  numerous  entered  apprentices  and  fellow- 
crafts,  that  when  the  temple  was  completed,  and  they  should 
go  forth  upon  the  wide  world  for  employment,  the  bond  of 
union  formed  while  building  the  temple,  should  be  preserv- 
ed ;  while  it  was  believed  that  the  reputation  acquired  by 
having  been  engaged  upon  such  an  edifice  as  the  mighty 
temple  of  the  Hebrew  Deity,  would  give  them  advantages 
over  all  other  Masons,  wherever  they  might  go.  The 
master  Mason's  word,  in  the  possession  only  of  the  three 
grand  masters,  it  was  understood,  was  to  be  given  at  the 
completion  of  the  temple,  to  such  of  the  fellow-crafts,  &c« 
as  should  be  found  worthy — but  it  could  only  be  given  by 
the  three.  However,  three  ruffians,  named  Jubeia,  Jubelo, 
and  Jubelum,  jealous  lest  they  should  at  last  be  turned 
away  ignorant  of  the  inestimable  secret,  finally  way-laid 
the  grand  master  artizan,  in  the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  the 
temple,  where  he  was  wont,  daily,  to  go  to  worship  God  and 
draw  his  designs,  with  the  intention  of  extorting  the  secret 
from  him,  or  taking  his  life.  Faithful  to  his  trust,  the  wi- 
dow's son  retained  the  secret,  and  the  ruffians  murdered  him. 
They  buried  him  secretly,  and  fled.  Pursuers  were  sent  in 
:all  directions — the  villains  were  he^rd  of  on  the  way  to 


28  LETTER   III. 

Joppa — some  of  the  fellow  crafts,  in  pursuit,  overheard  them 
bewailing  their  conduct  from  the  cleft  of  a  rock  in  which 
they  had  secreted  themselves  ; — and,  to  make  a  long  story 
short,  they  were  arrested,  and  taken  back  to  king  Solomon, 
by  whose  order  they  were  masonically  executed.  The 
murdered  body  of  Hiram  was  afterwards  found,  by  a  mere 
accident,  where  it  had  been  buried,  in  a  hill-side.  In  deposit- 
ing it,  the  ruffians  had  planted  over  the  grave  a  shrub  of 
cassia ;  some  person,  when  ascending  the  hill,  taking  casual- 
ly hold  of  the  bush  for  support,  it  came  up,  and  the  loosen- 
ed earth  beneath  it,  created  a  suspicion  which  led  to  the  dis- 
covery. Solomon,  with  a  lodge  of  fellow-crafts,  went  out 
to  raise  the  corpse.  With  the  death  of  Hiram,  the  master's 
word  was  lost,  because  it  could  only  be  given  in  the  pre- 
sence, and  by  the  assistance,  of  three — and  at  that  time  only 
three  persons  possessed  it,  viz :  Solomon  and  the  two  Hi- 
rams.  In  this  dilemma  it  was  agreed  that  on  raising  the 
body,  the  first  word  spoken  should  be  and  remain  a  substi- 
tute for  the  lost  master's  word. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  the  story  represented  in  the  pro- 
cess of  conferring  the  "  sublime  degree  of  a  master  Ma- 
*'son;" — $ind  it  is  clearly  as  clumsy  an  absurdity, — as  gross 
a  fiction — as  ever  was  palmed  upon  the  credulity  of  man, — 
violating  alike  history,  probability,  and  common  eense.  Nor 
is  it  only  recently  that  the  imposture  has  been  confessed. 
It  was  so  admitted  twenty-nine  years  ago,  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Dalcho,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  craft,  then  grand 
master  of  South  Carolina,  in  a  masonic  oration  delivered 
by  him  in  1803.  "  I  candidly  confess,"  says  the  Rev. 
grand  master,  "  that  I  feel  a  very  great  degree  of  embar- 
•<  rassment  while  I  am  relating  to  ministers  of  Gbd's  holy 
"  word,  or  to  any  other  gentleman,  a  story  founded  on  the 
"grossest  errors  of  accumulated  ages  ;  errors  which  they 
"  can  prove  to  me  to  be  such  from  the  sacred  pages  of  holy 
*^  writ,  and  from  profane  history,  written  by  men  of  integ;rir 


LETTER  III.  29 

»•'  ty  and  talents,  and  that,  too,  in  a  minute  after  I  have 
^  solemnly  pronounced  them  to  be  undeniable  truths  ;  even 
*'  by  that  very  bible  on  which  I  have  received  their  obliga- 
"  tion."     Professor  Stuart,  of  Andover,  one  of  the  most  skill- 
ful linguists,  and  learned  men  in  our  country,  has  also  shov^n, 
from  the  internal  evidences  of  our  own  books,  that  the  whole 
story  of  these  assassins,  as  narrated  in  the  legend,  is  an  im- 
posture, since,  most  unfortunately  for  the  authenticity  of  our 
tradition,  the  names  of  the  ruffians,  Jubcla,  Jubelo,  and  Ju- 
belum,  have  been  clumsily  formed  from  the  Latin  language, 
and  not  from  the  Hebrew,  to  which  they  have  no  affinity 
whatever.     All  Hebrew  names  are  significant,  and  have  a 
Hebrew  shape — a  fact  of  itself  conclusive  upon  this  ques- 
tion.    Yet,  grossly  improbable  as  the  tradition  is,  in  a  well- 
instructed  lodge,  where  the  officers  and  members  are  expert, 
and  thoroughly  understand  their  duties,  I  have  repeatedly 
seen  the  whole  tragedy  of  the  death,  burial,  and  resurrec- 
tion of  the   unfortunate  Hiram,  represented  with  no  small 
share  of  dramatic  effect.     But,  sir,  I  fancy  you  will  be  rea- 
dy to  exclaim — "  How  could  men  of  sense  ever  submit  to 
"  have  such  absurdities  palmed  upon  their  understandings, 
"  or  how  listen  for  a  moment  to  such  self-evident  and  puerile 
"  fictions  1"    Perhaps  a  reply  to  this  query  may  be  found  in 
that  trait  of  the  human  character  which  delights  in  scenic 
representations.     Statesmen  and  philosophers  attend  thea- 
trical exhibitions,  where  the  most  absurd  and  preposterous 
spenes  are  enacted — scenes  founded  on  fiction,  and  attended 
with  the  grossest  improbabihties  of  time,  place  and  circum- 
stance.    What  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  courtship  of 
Anne   by  the  murderer  of  her  husband,  in  Richard  HI  ? 
What  more  unlikely  than  the  espousal  of  a  swarthy  Moor 
by  the  fair  Desdemona,  in  Othello  ?     What  more  preposte- 
rous than  the  character  of  Caliban,  in  the  Tempest  ?     And 
yet  these  dramas  are  not  only  attended  by  philosophers, 
^  but  those  philosophers  often  enter  into  all  the  pseudo-phrenzy 


so  LETTER  HI. 

of  the  actor,  and  sympathetically  weep  over  distress  which 
they  know  to  be  feigned.  The  fact  I  take  to  be  this.  Meia 
of  information  must,  in  all  instances,  know  that  the  tradition 
is  idle,  and  the  tale,  with  all  its  attending  circumstances,  an 
•imposture.  But  still,  they  find  themselves  involved  in  the 
institution,  "  of  their  own  free  will  and  accord," — at  every 
step  they  have  been  exhorted  to  works  of  philanthropy  and 
benevolence, — they  have  been  told  much  respecting  the 
glory  of  science,  the  beauty  of  virtue,  and  the  value  of  truth ; 
— they  find  themselves  in  the  midst  of  an  agi'eeable  social 
circle,  and  even  the  sham-tragedy  itself,  though  ludicrous  on 
sober  reflection,  is  yet  evidently  intended  merely  to  incul- 
cate a  strong  lesson  of  fidelity  ; — the  whole  ceremonies, 
moreover,  instead  of  exhibiting  the  frantic  riotings  of  bac- 
channals,  as  many  have  represented,  being  often  chastened 
with  solemn  religious  associations,  in  a  manner  remarkably 
pleasing  and  picturesque.  It  is  this  aspect  of  the  case,  as  I 
have  reason  to  believe,  that  has  induced  thousands  and  tens 
of  thousands  of  infellectual  and  virtuous  men,  to  adhere  to 
Masonry,  notwithstanding  its  frivolities,  and  its  fictions. 
They  have  found  nothing  hurtful  in  it ; — if  there  be  trifling  in 
some  portions  of  the  ceremonies,  it  takes  place  only  amongst 
themselves ;  and  they  concur  in  the  sentiment  of  Horace, 
that  "  dulcc  est  desipere  in  loco."  It  is  agreeable,  moreover, 
as  a  social  institution — and  of  great  use  on  account  of  ita 
charities. 

Still,  on  reflection,  I  am  free  to  declare  my  later  convic- 
tions, that  this  degree  has  not  been  altogether  harmless. 
There  are  no  doubt  many  thousands  of  weak  and  igno- 
rant men,  who  have  taken  the  story  of  Hiram  Abiff*  for 
solemn  verity,  in  all  its  details.  Such  men  would  not  stop 
to  reflect  that  the  70,000  entered  apprentices,  and  80,000 
iellow  craftsmen,  of  whom  they  had  been  told  in  the  lecture, 
w-ere  in  fact  not  Israelites,  but  the  slaves  of  the  Canaanitish 
race,  vvdth  whom,  of  course,  Solomon  and  his  officers  held 


LETTiER  Hi*  3t 

no  more  communication  than  a  southern  planter  does  witk 
his  negroes  ; — nor  would  they  think  of  the  absurdity  of  kil- 
ling Hiram  Abiff  in  the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  the  temple, 
before  the  temple  itself  was  built,  and  where,  even  when  it 
was  built,  king  Solomon  could  not  enter,  but  only  the  high 
priest  once  a  year.  Nor  would  they  stop  to  reconcile  all 
the  other  difficulties  which  stamp  fiction  on  every  point  of 
the  relation.  When,  therefore,  Morgan  was  murdered — if 
such  were  his  fate, — men  thus  blinded,  or  thus  ignorant, 
,  may  have  supposed  that  they  were  only  acting  as  Solomon 
did  in  respect  to  the  imaginary  Jubela,  Jubelo  and  Jube- 
lum,and  as  he  would  have  done  had  he  then  been  present,  and 
had  Morgan  been  in  his  custody.  And  yet,  on  the  other  hand 
— (for  I  propose  to  hold  the  balance  impartially) — candor 
requires  us  to  admit  the  application  of  the  rule,  that  we 
ought  not  to  argue  against  the  use  of  a  thing  from  its  aintse, 
Addison  has  been  universally  deemed  not  only  a  moral  wri- 
ter, but  a  pious  man.  Yet,  even  from  his  writings,  abuses 
have  sprung.  The  anecdote  is  familiar,  of  a  young  man  in 
London,  who,  not  long  after  the  publication  of  the  tragedy 
of  Cato,  committed  suicide,  leaving  that  work,  his  pistol,  and 
the  following  sentiment  in  justification  of  the  act,  upon  his 
table : — "  What  Plato  said — what  Cato  did — and  what  Ad- 
liison  approved,  cannot  he  wi^ong." 

It  is  this  degree  in  which  the  grand  hailing  sign  of  distress 
is  conferred — a  sign  which  has  been  represented  as  being  of 
such  a  potent,  irresistable,  and  dangerous  nature.  Some  of 
the  Masons  have  inferred,  that  when  Alexander  of  Macedon, 
according  to  Judas  Maccabeus  and  Josephus,  on  approach- 
ing the  holy  city  with  his  victorious  legions,  was  so  suddenly 
disarmed,  on  tlie  approach  of  the  high  priest  in  his  robes, 
accompanied  by  his  pontifical  retinue,  to  meet  him,  the 
change  was .  wrought  by  the  influence  of  Masonry — tlie 
grand  hailing  sign.  According  to  the  legend,  the  high  priest 
and  the  conqueror  mutually  and  simultaneously  recognised 


32  LETTER   IV. 

each  other  as  brethren  of  the  mystic  tie.  Hence,  it  has  been 
argued,  the  sudden  change  of  the  conqueror  from  the  belh- 
gerent  to  the  pacific  and  friendly  temperament.  While 
there  is  no  just  foundation  for  this  supposition,  it  is,  never- 
'theless,  a  well  attested  fact,  that  numbers  of  American  offi- 
cers, during  the  war  of  our  revolution,  were  rescued  from 
the  blazing  faggots  of  the  savages  in  alliance  with  England, 
by  the  talismanic  influence  of  that  signal.  That  it  was  ever 
perverted  to  a  bad  use,  I  have  no  knowledge,  nor  any  suffi- 
cient reason  to  suppose. 

The  final  charge  in  the  master  s  degree,  contains  nothing 
requiring  particular  note.  It  is  shorter  than  the  charges  of 
the  preceding  degrees,  and  directs  the  new  made  brother  to 
inculcate  universal  benevolence  in  precept  and  by  example  ; 
to  preserve  the  ancient  land-marks  of  the  order  ;  to  correct 
the  errors  and  irregularities  of  uninformed  brethren  ;  to  be 
faithful  to  his  vows ;  to  recommend  obedience  and  submis- 
sion to  superiors  ;  courtesy  and  affability  to  equals ;  kind- 
ness and  condescension  to  inferiors ;  and  in  all  respects  to 
sustain  a  reputation  of  virtue  and  honor. 

With  great  respect,  I  am,  &r. 


LETTER   IV. 

New- York,  Nov.  30,  1831. 

The  degree  of  speculative  Masonry  next  to  be  consid- 
ered, is  that  of  Mark  Master.  It  was  incidentally  mention- 
ed in  my  last  communication,  that,  properly  speaking,  there 
were  but  three  degrees  of  ancient  Masonry,  although  mo- 
dern innovators,  in  this  and  various  other  countries,  have 
increased  the  number  to  seven.  But  three  degrees  only  are 
now  allowed  by  law  in  England.     In  the  year  1799,  an  act 


LETTER  IV.  3S 

was  passed  by  the  British  parHament,  entitled  "  An  act  for 
"  the  suppression  of  societies  for  seditious  and  treasonable 
"  purposes,"  which  prohibited  the  meetings,  or  administering 
the  oaths,  of  any  masonic  bodies,  excepting  the  lodges  of 
ancient  York  Masons,  then  in  existence,  and  comprising 
only  three  degrees.  By  the  provisions  of  that  act,  the  for- 
mation of  new  lodges  was  in  effect  prohibited,  and  those 
already  in  operation,  were  to  be  suppressed,  unless  they 
were  registered  under  oath,  and  complied  with  certain  strict 
legal  provisions,  intended  to  prevent  their  becoming  dan- 
gerous to  the  state.  On  receiving  this  act,  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Scotland  issued  an  address  to  the  fraternity  under  its 
jurisdiction,  directing  the  several  lodges  to  take  eflectual 
steps  for  enforcing  its  observance.  Every  lodge  so  observ- 
ing and  enforcing  the  law,  was  within  six  months  to  apply 
for  a  renewal  of  power  to  hold  their  meetings  ;  and  every 
lodge  not  so  complying  with  the  law,  and  affording  evidence 
thereof  to  the  grand  lodge,  was  to  be  expunged  from  the 
grand  roll. 

The  first  masonic  work  ever  printed,  was  that  of  Dr. 
Anderson,  which  I  have  now  before  me.  It  was  published 
in  London,  in  1723,  and  treats  of  only  three  degrees.  As 
this  work  was  an  authorised  collection  of  masonic  consti- 
tutions, in  connexion  with  a  fabulous  and  very  pompous 
history  of  the  institution,  the  profound  silence  observed  as 
to  all  degrees  above  the  third,  or  master  Mason's,  is  very 
strong  evidence  that,  one  hundred  and  nine  years  ago,  no 
other  degree  was  in  existence.  The  first  lodge  authorised 
in  America,  was  in  New- Jersey,  in  1730,  and  the  next  in 
Boston,  in  1733, — both  under  the  constitutions  of  Ander- 
son. In  Lawrie's  History  of  Freemasonry,  and  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  an  official  authority,  published 
at  Edinburgh,  in  1804,  I  find  an  instruction  to  the  provin- 
cial grand  master,  "  to  inquire  into  the  orders  and  degrees 
"  of  Masonry  practised,"  and  "  prohibiting  the  practising  of 


34  LETTER    IT. 

«  any  other  than  St.  John's  Masonry,  consisting  of  appren- 
**  tice,  fellow-craft,  and  master  mason,  the  only  three  de- 
"  grees  sanctioned  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland."  And 
the  united  Grand  Lodges  of  ancient  and  modern  Masons,  in 
London,  declared,  in  1813,  "  that  all  ancient  Freemasonry 
"is  yet  contained  in  the  first  three  degrees" 

It  is  certain,  therefore,  that  but  three  degrees  can  be  law- 
fully practised  in  the  United  Kingdonfi,  although  I  have  an 
impression  that  others  are  clandestinely  conferred.  The 
mark-master's  degree,  however,  of  which  I  am  now  about 
to  speak,  has  ever  been  given  in  England,  in  connexion  with, 
and  as  a  part  of,  the  second,  or  fellow-craft's  degree.  Such 
it  in  fact  must  have  been ;  and  I  can  divine  no  reason  for 
the  separation,  unless  it  was  supposed  that  by  this  multipli- 
cation of  degrees,  the  resources  of  the  society  would  be 
increased  in  a  corresponding  ratio.  Another  reason,  per- 
haps, may  also  be  found,  applying  in  some  instances,  in  the 
fact,  that  by  multiplying  the  number  of  degrees,  persons 
who  valued  their  character,  and  wished  their  association  to 
be  select,  could  exclude  from  their  intercourse  in  the  lodge, 
all  such  persons  as  had  been  improvidently  or  improperly 
introduced  into  the  inferior  degrees.  But  even  in  this  view 
of  the  case,  I  can  perceive  no  cause  for  interposing  the  third 
degree  between  what  were  evidently,,  at  first,  two  consecu- 
tive sections  of  the  same  chapter  in  the  science.  Never- 
theless, it  is  so  laid  down  in  the  books,  and  in  the  practice ; 
and  I  shall  "govern  myself  accordingly." 

TIk)  charge  at  the  opening  of  the  lodge  in  this  degree,  is 
as  follows: — ^'*  Wherefore,  brethren,  lay  aside  all  malice, 
^*  and  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and  all  evil  speak- 
•*  ings,  if  so  be  that  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gra- 
"  cious,  to  whom  coming  as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed 
••  indeed,  of  men,  but  chosen  of  God,  and  precious ;  ye  also, 
"as  living  stones,  be  ye  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  an  holy 
^priesthood,  to    ofibr  up   sacrifices    acceptable   to  God. 


LETTER  IV.  35 

*-  Wherefore,  also,  it  is  contained  in  the  scriptures,  Behold, 
^  I  lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious 
'"  corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation ;  he  that  believeth  shall 
^'not  make  haste  to  pass  it  over.  Unto  you,  therefore, 
'"  which  believe,  it  is  an  honor ;  and  even  to  those  which  be 
"  disobedient,  the  stone  which  the  builders  disallowed,  the 
**  same  is  made  the  head  of  the  corner.  Brethren,  this  is 
>«  the  will  of  God,  that  with  well-doing  ye  put  to  silence  the 
*'  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  As  free,  and  not  using  your 
■*' liberty  for  a  cloak  of  maliciousness,  but  as  the  servants  of 
-**  God.     Honor  all  men  :  love  the  brotherhood :  fear  God."* 

No  fault  can  be  found  with  the  spirit  of  this  exhortation, 
although  it  must  be  confessed,  that,  where  the  writer  of  the 
formulary,  in  adapting  the  lesson  to  his  purpose,  has  devia- 
ted from  the  sacred  text,  he  has  not  improved  upon  the 
language  of  the  apostle.  In  sober  earnest,  however,  I  can- 
not refrain  from  expressing,  in  this  place,  the  strong  dislike 
I  feel  at  any  alteration  or  modification  of  the  pure  words  of 
inspiration,  for  whatever  purpose,  even  when  such  alteration 
may  have  been  made  from  the  best  possible  motives.  There 
is  danger  in  every  innovation  upon  the  sacred  text 

In  conferring  the  degree,  the  aid  of  another  tradition  is 
-called  forth.  The  story  is,  that  tlie  degree  was  instituted 
to  enable  the  overseers  of  the  work  to  detect  impostors,  on 
paying  the  wages  of  the  fellow-craftsmen, — for  which  pur- 
pose every  craftsman  had  a  sign,  and  a  mark  of  his  own, 
known  by  the  proper  officer.  The  penalty  for  a  detected 
impostor,  was  amputation  of  the  right  hand.  It  happened, 
on  one  occasion,  that  a  young  fellow-craftsman  discovered 
in  the  quarries,  a  peculiar  stone,  of  singular  form,  and  beau- 
tifully wrought.  Throwing  away  his  own  work,  he  brought 
this  specimen  up  for  inspection,  which,  being  neither  a 
square,  nor  an  oblong  square,  was  rejected  hj  the  overseers, 

*  Vide  i.  Peter,  chap.  2^ 


36  LETTER    IV. 

and  thrown  away  among  the  rubbish  ;  the  young  man  con- 
fessed very  frankly  his  offence, — that  of  substituting  another's 
work  for  his  own, — but  stated  that  he  had  been  induced  to 
bring  up  the  stone  only  in  consequence  of  its  peculiar  form 
and  beauty.  He  was  readily  pardoned.  Subsequently, 
when  in  the  act  of  completing  one  of  the  arches  of  the  foun- 
dation of  the  temple,  the  key-stone  was  found  to  be  want- 
ing. It  had  been  wrought  in  the  quarries  by  our  grand  mas- 
ter Hiram  Abiff  himself,  and  designated  by  his  own  mark. 
Search  was  made  for  the  stone ;  the  circumstance  of  the 
young  fellow-craftsman  was  recalled  ;  and  the  key  to  the 
arch  was  found  where  it  had  been  cast  away  as  worthless. 
In  the  progress  of  the  ceremonies,  all  of  which  are  enacted 
in  a  dramatic  form,  the  master  again  descants  upon  the  archi- 
tectural knowledge  and  taste  of  Solomon's  time,  and  reca- 
pitulates the  history  of  the  building  the  temple  ;  the  number 
of  workmen  engaged  upon  it ;  and  the  modes  adopted  for 
punishing  the  guilty,  and  rewarding  the  virtuous.  Various 
passages  of  scripture  are  cited  during  the  ceremonies,  which 
it  would  be  quite  unnecessary  to  quote  at  length.*  They 
all,  excepting  the  two  last,  refer  to  the  repeated  figurative, 
or  symbolical  references  of  the  scriptures,  both  in  the  pro- 
phecies and  the  gospels,  to  the  Saviour  of  men,  as  a  stone,  a 
chief  corner  stone,  a  precious  stone,  an  elect  stone,  &c., — 
used  by  the  inspired  writers  to  signify  his  perfection,  his 
firmness  and  perpetuity,  as  the  foundation  and  supporter  of 
the  whole  christian  church,  and  the  work  of  man's  redemp- 
tion. The  passage  from  Ezekiel  seems  only  to  have  been 
introdiiced  because  of  certain  words  analagous  to  the  name 
of  the  degree. 

The  kej'^-stone  above  mentioned,  a  pattern  of  which  with 
no  little  inconvenience,  is  carried  about  in  the  moving  cere- 

♦  Vide  Rev.  ii.  17. ;  2.  Chron.  ii.  16. ;  Psalms  cxviii.  22. ;  Matt.  xxi.  42.  ; 
Mark  xii.  10.  ;  Luke  xx.  J7.  ;  Acts  iv.  11.  ;  Rev.  iii.  13.  ;  and  Ezekiel 
yliv.  1,  3  &.  5. 


LETTER    IV.  37 

inouies  by  the  candidate,  contains,  as  I  have  before  observ- 
ed, a  mark.  This  mark  is  a  circle  formed  of  certain  letters — 
but  though  cabahstical,  their  secret  meamng  is  not  of  the 
least  use  or  importance  to  the  public,  and  is  withal  entirely- 
harmless.  Every  mark-master  has  a  right  to  procure  an 
engraving  of  these  letters,  upon  a  piece  of  plate,  or  a  medal ; 
he  is  to  choose  hi,^  ow^n  peculiar  mark,  which  is  to  be  en- 
graved within  the  circle  of  letters,  and  never  to  be  changed. 
This  mark  may  be  of  use  in  cases  of  pecuniary  extremity. 
A  brother  mark-master  wishing  to  borrow  a  sum  of  money, 
can  pledge  his  mark  for  the  faithful  payment  thereof ;  and 
it  would  be  disgraceful,  and  cost  his  expulsion,  not  to  re- 
deem it.  Whenever  a  mark-master  Mason  sends  his  mark 
to  a  brother  requesting  a  loan,  the  latter  cannot  return  it 
even  though  it  be  inconvenient  to  make  the  loan  ;  (or,  even 
though  the  brother  thus  applied  to  should  entertain  a  dis- 
trust as  to  the  re-payment  of  the  money,)  without  accompa- 
nying it  wdth  the  sum  of  twenty-five  cents,  or  a  half  shekel 
of  silver.  The  reason  for  this  last  regulation  is  this  : — The 
person  sending  for  the  loan,  might  be  in  distress  even  for 
food,  and  the  small  sum  of  twenty-five  cents  would  always 
afford  temporary  relief — or  at  least  a  meal  of  victuals  to  the 
hungry.  The  practical  illustrations  which  accompany  this 
portion  of  the  lecture,  are  peculiarly  striking  and  effective. 
The  candidate  is  taught  how  poor  and  needy,  destitute  and 
helpless,  he  may  become ;  and  in  his  own  person  he  feels  the 
dependence,  which,  in  the  hour  of  misfortune,  may  one  day 
overtake  us  all ;  and  he  feels,  also,  the  necessity  of  relying 
upon  the  hand  of  friendship  and  charity  in  the  hour  of  trial. 
The  representation  may  be  pronounced  puerile  by  those  who 
witness  the  counterfeit  presentments  of  the  show-men ;  but 
I  am  free  to  confess  that  it  impressed  a  lesson  upon  my  mind, 
which  I  hope  will  never  be  effaced. 

The  working  tools  of  a  mark-master,  are,  the  mallet  and 
chisel,  the  explanations  of  which  are  not  important.     In  the 


38  LETTER  IV, 

brief  charge  to  the  candidate  in  this  degree,  he  is  exhorted 
to  lead  a  pure  Hfe,  that  in  the  end  he  may  not,  like  unfinish- 
ed and  imperfect  work,  be  rejected  and  thrown  aside,  as  un- 
fit for  that  spiritual  building,  "  that  house  not  made  with 
*'  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  Before  closing  the  lodge, 
the  parable  of  the  laborers  of  the  vineyard,  who  murmured 
at  the  good  man  of  the  house  because  ihose  who  came  at 
the  eleventh  hour  received  as  much  wages  as  those  who  had 
toiled  through  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day,  is  read  by 
the  master.  There  is  a  practical  illustration  of  the  parable, 
which  imparts  interest  to  the  degree,  and  instruction  in  the 
application. 

The  fifth  degree,  being  that  of  Past  Master,  is  next  in  or- 
der ;  but  as  it  does  not  profess  to  advance  the  candidate 
much  farther  in  his  journey  in  search  of  the  grand  arcanum 
of  the  order,  it  can  be  very  speedily  disposed  of.  It  is  cal- 
led the  Past  Master's  Degree,  from  the  circumstance  that 
every  man  must  pass  the  chair  of  the  master,  before  he  can 
preside  over  a  lodge  of  master  masons.  The  degree  is  usu- 
ally conferred  by  chapters  of  Royal  Arch  Masons  ;  but  any 
master  mason,  on  being  elected  to  preside  over  a  lodge,  is 
entitled  to  receive  this  degree,  without  placing  himself  with- 
in the  jurisdiction  of  the  chapter,  and  must  receive  it, 
before  he  can  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties. 
When,  therefore,  any  Mason  of  three  degrees  only,  is  elect- 
ed master  of  a  lodge,  a  pro.  tern,  lodge  of  individual  past 
masters  is  organized,  specially,  for  the  purpose  of  conferring 
this  degree.  And  when  a  master  Mason  has  thus  received 
it,  he  is  eligible  to  the  office  of  master  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
and  thus  becomes  grand  master.  Hence,  sir,  you  will  per- 
<;eive,  that  a  man  who  is  not  in  fact  a  high  Mason,  may  ne- 
vertheless be'  dignified  by  a  grand  title.  Such  is  in  truth  the 
position  of  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Kentucky,  who  is  now 
a  candidate  for  that  exalted  station  which  was  lately  filled 
by  youi^elf.     He  has  "  passed  the  chair,"  but  is  only  a  Ma- 


L 


LETTER  IV.  39 

^n  of  three  degrees ;  and  having  once,  many  years  ago, 
been  elected  as  grand  master  of  the  master  Masons  of  Ken- 
tucky, it  has  suited  the  present  views  of  clamorous  and 
uncandid  partizans,  to  make  the  attempt  of  exciting  the 
Anti-masonic  prejudices  against  him,  by  proclaiming  him  to 
be  "  a  high  Mason."  What  measure  of  success  will  attend 
the  unworthy  effjrt,  remains  to  be  seen. 

The  chief  object  of  this  degree  is  to  exemplify  the  neces- 
sity of  government,  and  to  enforce  upon  the  minds  of  those 
who  are  called  to  govern,  the  importance  of  qualifying  them- 
selves for  the  skillful  and  efficient  discharge  of  their  duties. 
The  ceremonies  of  the  degree  are  extended  to  no  great 
length  ;  but  they  are  such  as  strongly  to  impress  upon  the 
newly-elected  master,  a  sense  of  his  own  deficiencies  in  the 
matter  of  government,  and  the  need  he  has  of  promptness 
and  energy  in  preserving  the  discipline  of  the  society  over 
which  he  is  to  preside.     The  process  of  conferring  the  de- 
gree— teaching   by    practical   illustrations — is   apparently 
grave,  though  withal  rather  amusing.     After  the  lodge   is 
opened  upon  the  third  degree,  the  master  receives  intelli- 
gence from  without,  that  some  sudden  emergency  demands 
his  presence   in  another  place,  and  he  must  consequently 
leave  the  chair,  and  resign  his  office.     He  therefore  calls 
upon  the  brethren  to  elect  a  successor.     Various  candidates 
are  put  in  nomination — all  of  whom  appear  actively  to  elec- 
tioneer for  the  station.     But  they  are  successively  voted 
down,  and  in  the  end,  the  unsuspecting  candidate  finds  him- 
self chosen  master  of  the  lodge.     If  he  attempts  to  resign^ 
it  is  to  no  pui-pose,  and  after  making  all  the  excuses  he  can, 
pleased,  nevertheless,  with  his  early  popularity  among  the 
brotherhood,  he  ascends  the  chair,  decorated  with  the  jewels 
of  the  station.     The  old  master  retires,  and  the  new  one 
attempts  to  proceed  with  the  business  which  is  now  rapidly 
crowded  upon  his  attention.     He  knows  nothing  of  the  rules 
of  proceeding ; — the  lodge  becomes  confused ; — every  effort 


4d  LETTER   IV. 

he  makes  to  preserve  order,  but  adds  to  the  confusion ; — 
every  member  endeavors  to  augment  his  embarrassment ; — 
he  forgets,  in  liis  ov^n  confusion,  the  instructions  as  to  the 
method  of  preserving  perfect  silence,  if  nothing  more,  which 
he  had  a  few  moments  before  received  from  his  predeces- 
sor ; — until,  in  the  end,  thinking  he  has  been  elected  in  good 
faith,  and  believing,  from  the  conduct  of  the  brethren,  that 
he  has  suddenly  become  one  of  the  most  unpopular  of  men, 
whereas  he  had  perhaps  just  been  exulting  at  his  popularity, 
he  yields  up  his  office  in  perfect  despondency  and  conster- 
nation. The  old  master  then  kindly  re-appears,  and  soon 
teaches  him  how  to  command  order ; — for,  indeed,  as  to 
obedience,  it  frequently  happens  that  a  scrupulous  compli- 
ance with  his  own  ignorant  and  inopportune  mandates,  has 
occasioned  the  very  confusion  which  had  appalled  him.  The 
new  master  is  then  advised  to  resign,  whereupon  he  begins 
to  comprehend  the  part  he  has  been  acting,  and  gladly  es- 
capes from  the  irksome  situation.  I  shall  never  forget  my 
own  embarrassing  exploits  when  first  called  to  this  trying 
station. 

It  is  unquestionably  true,  that  in  the  proceedings  I  have 
attempted  thus  briefly  to  describe,  there  is  often  much  con- 
fusion and  not  a  little  merriment, — arising  solely  from  the 
perplexity,  and  the  ludicrous  conduct,  performed  with  sober 
gravity,  by  the  candidate.  I  admit  that  the  laugh,  at  a  man 
thus  circumstanced,  may  "  argue  want  of  grace  ;"  but  the 
couplet  must  be  finished  in  extenuation  ;  for  "  to  be  grave," 
would  "  exceed  all  power  of  face."  Still,  there  is  nothing 
wicked,  or  malicious,  or  riotous,  in  all  this  ;  although  the 
noise  may  have  been  misconstrued  by  those  without  the 
lodge,  into  the  wild  uproar  of  revellers.  But,  a  single  rap, 
at  the  proper  moment,  hushes  all  into  instantaneous  silence. 
Indeed  there  is  no  body  or  society  of  men  on  earth, — no 
meeting  or  assemblage, — under  such  strict,  immediate,  and 
effective  control,  as  a  lodge  or  chapter  of  JMasons, 


LETTER  V.  41 

Ths  lecture  of  this  degree  which  the  candidate  then  re- 
ceives, is  divided  into  numerous  sections,  and  is  very  long. 
It  treats  of  the  government  of  the  society ;  the  disposition 
of  rulers  ;  and  illustrates,  (as  we  have  just  seen)  the  requi- 
site qualifications.  It  includes  the  ceremony  of  opening  and 
closing  lodges  in  the  several  preceding  degrees.  It  com- 
prehends, also,  the  forms  of  installations  and  consecrations, 
as  well  in  the  grand,  as  in  local  lodges.  Instructions  are 
likewise  given  at  length  for  laying  the  foundations  of  build- 
ings, and  for  their  consecration.  The  initiate  is  also  particu- 
larly taught  the  forms  of  conducting  the  funerals  of  deceased 
brethren.  It  would  be  alike  tedious  and  unnecessary  for 
me  to  enter  into  details  upon  any  of  these  points.  All  the 
exercises  and  recitations  are  printed  at  large  in  the  various 
formularies  extant,  and  so  far  as  I  have  compared  them,  the 
discrepancies  are  few  and  unimportant.  The  charges  to 
the  master  and  wardens  of  a  lodge,  are  appropriate,  and 
unexceptionable.  Indeed,  I  should  feel  myself  bound  in 
justice  to  cite  a  passage  from  the  charge  to  the  new  past 
master,  in  this  place,  were  it  not  for  the  consideration  that 
it  may  possibly  be  more  appropriately  used  elsewhere,  be- 
fore this  discussion  is  closed. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  &c. 


LETTER  V. 

New- York,  Dec.  5,  1831. 
Sir, 

The  sixth  degree  is  that  of  "  Most  Excellent  Master." 
It  professes  to  be  a  representation,  on  a  small  scale,  of  the 
ceremony  of  completing  the  work  of  Solomon's  temple,  and 
its  dedication.     All  there  is  of  tradition  connected  with  tHs 

6 


42  LETTER  V. 

degree,  is  embraced  in  the  following  morceau  of  unauthenti- 
cated  history  :— "  When  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  was  fin- 
"  ished,  and  the  cap-stone  celebrated,  with  great  joy,  king 
"  Solomon  admitted  to  this  degree,  only  those  who  had  prov- 
"  ed  themselves  worthy,  by  their  virtue,  skill,  and  inflexible 
«  fidelity  to  the  craft." 

In  opening  the  chapter  upon  this  degree,  the  members 
kneel  around  the  altar,  inclining  their  heads  downwards, 
with  an  air  of  solemn  reverence,  while  the  most  excellent 
master  reads  that  noble  lyric  of  the  royal  Hebrew  poet, 
the  xxiv.  Psalm.  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness 
"  thereof,"  &c.  During  the  ceremony  of  receiving  the  can- 
didate, the  cxxii.  Psalm  is  read,  commencing — "  I  was  glad 
"  when  they  said  unto  me,  let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the 
"  Lord."  After  the  candidate  has  taken  the  obligation  impo- 
sed by  the  degree,  the  members  form  and  march  in  proces- 
sion, during  the  singing  of  an  ode,  set  to  appropriate  music- 
The  only  additional  ceremony  performed  while  the  proces- 
sion is  thus  engaged,  is  the  adjusting  of  the  cap-stone  in  a 
mortice  of  an  arch,  which  has  been  sprung  across  the  room 
from  the  columns  of  Jachin  and  Boaz — mere  temporary 
erections,  of  course.  The  sixth  chapter  of  ii.  Chronicles, 
with  the  first  four  verses  of  the  seventh,  are  also  introduced 
into  this  degree,  containing  Solomon's  prayer  of  unexampled 
sublimity,  at  the  consecration,  together  with  the  account  of 
the  resting  of  the  cloud  upon  the  temple,  and  its  blazing  forth 
with  insupportable  splendor  before  the  awe-struck  legions  of 
Israel,  while  the  glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  house,  and  the 
celestial  fire  flashed  upon  the  sacrificial  altar. 

The  charge  to  the  candidate  contains  little  that  requires 
special  note.  He  is  again  admonished  not  to  sacrifice  his 
good  standing  by  misconduct,  and  directed  to  acquire  a  per- 
fect knowledge  of  all  the  preceding  degrees,  that  he  may  be 
able  to  dispense  light  and  truth  to  his  uninformed  brethren. 


•'■f. 


LETTER   y.  40 

In  closing  the  chapter  in  this  degree,  the  members  kneel 
around  the  altar  as  before,  while  that  truly  beautiful  Psalm, 
the  xxiii.,  is  read  by  the  most  excellent  master. 

Thus,  sir,  have  I  attempted  to  give  you  a  brief,  but,  I  hope, 
intelligible  account  of  my  travels  though  six  degrees  of  Ma- 
sonry, in  quest  of  the  great  secret  light  to  which  we  were 
constantly  approximating,  but  never  destined  to  reach — cer- 
tainly not  in  that  effulgence  which  we  had  been  led  to  ex- 
pect, and  of  which  the  Masons  were  wont  to  boast,  if  not 
expressly  by  words,  at  least  by  v/ise  and  knowing  looks, 
and  airs  of  mysterious  importance,  w^henever  the  subject 
became  one  of  conversation  and  inquiry  among  the  uninitia- 
ted.    In  saying  that  I  was  travelling  "  in  search  of  the  great 
secret  light,"  you  will  please  not  understand  me  as  writing 
in  forgetfulness  of  what  I  have  asserted  in  a  former  letter. 
I  anticipated  the  discovery  of  no  astounding  secret.     Still,  I 
believed  with  Locke,  in  one  of  his  annotations  upon  an  an- 
cient masonic  manuscript  found  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  in 
the  hand-writing,  as  it  was  supposed,  of  Henry  VI.     Of  the 
"art  of  keeping  secrets,"  mentioned   in  the  manuscript, 
Locke  says  : — "  What  kind  of  an  art  this  is,  I  can  by  no 
"means  imagine.     But  certainly  such  an  art  the  Masons 
"  must  have ;  for  though,  as   some   people   suppose,  they 
"  should  have  no  secret  at  all ;  even  that  must  be  a  secret, 
"  which,  being  discovered,  would  expose  them  to  the  highest 
"  ridicule ;  and  therefore  it  requires  the  utmost  caution  to 
"  conceal  it."*     This  was  in  truth  about  the  measure  of  my 
belief.     The  result  will  appear  in  the  sequel. 

I  have  now  arrived  at  the  seventh  degree — that  of  the 
Royal  Arch.  This  is  the  principal  of  the  four  degrees  con- 
ferred by  a  chapter,  as  the  third  degree  is  chiefest  in  the 
lodge  of  master  Masons.     In  the  first  two  degrees,  the  as- 

*  The  authenticity  of  the  letter  of  Locke,  from  which  I  haA^e  here  quoted, 
has  been  questioned  latterly  by  some  of  the  over-zealous  Anti-masonic  wri- 
ters ;  but  so  f;\r  as  my  observation  has  extended,  I  have  seen  no  evidence 
whatever  of  its  spuriousness. 


44  LETTER  V. 

piling,  and  often  disappointed,  candidate,  is  continually  ur- 
ged on  to  the  third,  as  that  which  will  realize  all  his  expec- 
tations, and  satisfy  all  his  desires.  So,  also,  of  the  seventh, 
after  the  candidate  has  stepped  from  the  lodge-room,  into 
the  court  of  the  chapter — it  is  in  the  Royal  Arch  degree  only, 
he  is  told,  where  the  full  fruition  of  light  and  knowledge  is 
to  be  enjoyed — where  the  aspiring  student,  like  another  Pro- 
metheus, can,  as  it  were,  steal  sacred  fire  from  the  chariot 
of  the  sun  to  kindle  his  genius,  and  hold  converse,  face  to 
face,  with  immortal  truth  herself,  in  all  her  perfection  and 
beauty.  To  quote  the  books  of  the  craft,  "  this  degree  is 
"  indescribably  more  august,  sublime,  and  important,  than  all 
"  which  precede  it ;  and  is  the  summit  and  perfection  of  an- 
"  cient  Masonry.  It  impresses  on  our  minds  a  belief  of  the 
"  being  and  existence  of  a  Supreme  Deity,  without  begin- 
"  hing  of  days,  or  end  of  years,  and  reminds  us  of  the  rever- 
"  ence  due  to  his  holy  nnme."  Whether  it  was  owing  to 
these  considerations  alone,  or  whether  because  of  the  perse- 
verance of  my  companions,  or  because  disappointed  curiosi- 
ty yet  occupied  a  corner  of  my  head  or  heart,  I  do  not  ex- 
actly recollect ;  certain  it  is,  however,  that  I  resolved  to 
proceed  to  the  end,  and,  if  there  were  any  secret,  to  find  it — 
if  any  mystery  to  solve  it. 

In  opening  the  chapter  upon  this  degree,  the  members 
assemble  around  the  altar,  kneeling  reverentially,  as  in  the 
degree  of  Most  Excellent  Master,  and  joining  hands,  while 
the  third  chapter  of  2.  Thessalonians,  6—18,  is  read  by  the 
high  priest.  The  ceremonies  of  opening  having  been  com- 
pleted, and  the  chapter  declared  in  readiness  for  the  despatch 
of  business,  the  candidates  for  exaltation  are  introduced, 
and  the  work  commences.  The  conferring  of  this  degree 
occupies  a  long  time — four  or  five  hours,  of  continued  ac- 
tion. Its  traditions  are  as  follows :  The  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
son is  taught  to  believe,  from  the  silence  of  the  scrip- 
tures, at  certain  periods,  concerning  the  book  of  the  law, 


LETTER  V.  45 

and  the  light  of  tradition,  rabbinical  and  masonic,  that  the 
world  is  indebted  to  Freemasonry  for  the  preservation  of 
the  Mosaic  dispensation,  or  the  pentateuch.  It  is  asserted, 
that,  previously  to  the  time  of  Ezra  the  scribe,  who  correct- 
ed, revised,  and  re-wrote  some  of  the  sacred  books,  there  is 
no  mention  of  more  than  one  copy  of  the  book  of  the  law — 
namely,  that  written  by  the  inspired  lawgiver  himself.  Not 
a  word  is  said  in  the  scriptm-es  of  this  book,  from  the  com- 
mencement and  durinof  the  reim  of  Manasseh,  down  to  the 
time  it  was  discovered,  accidentally,  as  it  would  seem,  in  the 
reign  of  his  grandson,  Josiah.  Hilkiah,  the  high  priest,  had 
thoroughly  to  inspect  and  repair  the  temple,  and  while  thus 
employed,  as  the  sacred  record  itself  informs  us,  he  acci- 
dentally discovered  an  authentic  copy  of  "  the  book  of  the 
"  law  of  the  Lord,  given  by  Moses,"  and  carried  it  straight- 
way and  laid  it  before  the  king.  The  king  commanded  him 
to  read  it  aloud ;  but  when  Hilkiah  arrived  at  those  passa- 
ges which  denounced  God's  anger  against  idolaters,  and 
speak  of  the  punishments  Vv'hich  should  come  both  upon  the 
people  and  their  sovereign,  in  the  event  of  his  transgressing 
their  commandments,  Josiah's  horror  and  dismay  rose  to 
the  highest  pitch.*  From  the  whole  scripture  account  of 
the  finding  and  reading  of  the  law,  the  inference  is  irresist- 
ible, that  it  had  been  lost — that  the  king,  alike  with  the  high 
priest,  and  the  people,  were  all,  in  a  great  measure,  ignorant 
of  the  book,  and  of  its  contents.  Such,  certainly,  is  the  fair 
interpretation  of  the  account  of  the  transaction  in  the  ii. 
Kings,  and  also  of  the  copy  of  Ezra,  as  recorded  in  the 
Chronicles.  Josephus  corroborates  this  opinion,  and  the 
same  view  is  clearly  entertained  by  Henry,  the  pious  and 
learned  commentator,  who  says  "  the  spring  of  life  was  shut' 
"  up" — "  the  fountain  sealed,"  to  Josiah  ;  and  after  the  dis- 
covery, he  says  "  the  things  contained  in  the  scriptures  were 
"  new  to  Josiah." 

*  Gleiff's  Hist.  Bible. 


46  LETTER  V. 

It  is  also  said  this  invaluable  treasure  was  again  missing 
from  the  reign  of  Josiah,  until  the  days  of  Ezra,  after  the 
return  from  Babylon.  Over  these  tv^o  dark  and  gloomy 
periods  a  veil  is  cast,  w^hich,  as  the  masonic  writers  assure 
us,  none  but  skilful  Masons  have  been  able  to  rend  asunder. 
The  prophetic  eye  of  our  grand  master  Solomon  was  of 
course  enabled  to  foresee  future  events.  He  foresaw  that 
wicked  men  would  sway  the  sceptre,  who  would  jeopard 
the  existence  of  the  holy  law  itself;  and  he,  consequently,  in 
the  erection  of  the  temple,  provided  a  place  of  safety  for  the 
deposite  of  the  sacred  treasure,  the  knowledge  of  which 
was  intrusted  to  but  few.  When  the  idolatrous  Manasseh 
ascended  the  throne  of  Judah,  to  preserve  the  book  from  the 
rude  hands  of  infidelity  and  violence,  it  was  hidden  away, 
and  remained  in  its  place  of  security  until  found  by  Hilkiah, 
as  before  related.  Again,  towards  the  close  of  the  reign 
of  Josiah,  foreseeing  the  wickedness  of  his  son  and  successor, 
and  also  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  and  the  carrying 
aWay  into  Babylon,  Huldah,  the  prophetess,  once  more  se- 
creted the  law  in  a  place  where  it  remained  until  the  return 
from  the  captivity.  It  was  then  discovered  by  Ezra,  Zeru- 
babcl,  and  their  associates,  on  the  removal  of  the  ruins  of 
the  old  temple,  preparatory  to  the  erection  of  the  new ; — 
ns  illustrated  practically  in  the  course  of  giving  this  degree. 
The  fact  of  this  deposite,  was  a  masonic  secret — although 
the  Masonry  of  Huldah,  being  a  female,  is  not  properly 
avouched.  But  another  branch  of  the  tradition  runs  thus  : — 
At  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  three 
Masons  of  the  degree  of  most  excellent  master,  were  tak- 
en and  conveyed  among  the  captives  to  Babylon,  where 
they  remained  until  the  restoration,  during  the  reign  of  Cy- 
rus of  Persia.  They  were  then  liberated  and  permitted  to 
return  to  the  holy  city,  to  assist  in  the  rebuilding  of  the  tem- 
ple. After  travelling  many  days  over  rough  and  rugged 
roads,  they  arrived  at  the  outer  veil  of  the  tabernacle,  or 


LETTER  V.  47 

sacred  pavilion,  erected  near  the  ruins  of  the  temple,  in  imi- 
tation of  the  tabernacle  of  the  wilderness.  This  tabernacle 
was  an  oblong  square,  enclosed  by  four  veils,  or  curtains, 
and  divided  into  separate  apartments,  by  four  cross-veils, 
including  the  veil  at  the  western  entrance.  The  veils  were 
guarded  by  armed  sentinels,  stationed  at  the  place  of  en- 
trance through  each.  At  the  easternmost  end  of  the  taber- 
nacle, sat  Haggai,  Joshua  and  Zerubabel,  in  grand  council, 
to  examine  those  who  applied  for  permission  to  assist  in  the 
glorious  work  of  rebuilding  the  temple.  The  three  most 
excellent  masters  before  referred  to,  and  who  must  have 
been  pretty  well  advanced  in  life  by  this  time,  were,  on  their 
arrival,  introduced  to  the  grand  council — accepted  as  sound 
and  robust  men — furnished  with  tools  and  implements,  and 
set  to  work  in  clearing  away  the  rubbish,  preparatory  to 
laying  the  foundations  of  the  new  edifice,  with  an  injunction 
carefully  to  preserve  every  thing  that  might  be  discovered 
appearing  valuable  for  use,  or  curious  for  examination. 

When  the  candidate  is  introduced,  a  long  prayer  is  read 
from  the  book  of  forms,  or  oflered  extemporaneously  by  any 
clergyman  who  may  be  attendance.  The  tedious  ceremo- 
nies then  commence,  representing  the  carrying  away  of  the 
captives,  chained,  to  Babylon ;  the  application  to  return  and 
build  again  the  holy  city  and  the  temple ;  the  rugged  roads 
over  which  they  were  obliged  to  travel,  and  the  obstacles 
encountered  and  overcome.  In  the  course  of  their  labors 
among  the  ruins  of  the  old  temple,  they  strike  upon  a  secret 
vault,  into  which  they  descend, — as  the  three  most-excel- 
lent masters  before  mentioned  are  supposed  to  have  done, — 
and  among  other  discoveries  they  find  a  box,  standing  on  a 
pedestal,  curiously  wrought,  and  overlaid  with  gold.  This 
is  brought  up  and  delivered  to  the  grand  council,  by  whom 
it  is  opened,  and  is  discovered  to  be  none  other  than  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  containing  the  long  lost  book  of  the  law. 


48  LETTER  V. 

the  pot  of  Manna,  and  Aaron's  rod,  wliich  "budded  and 
*'  bloomed  blossoms,  and  yielded  almonds.""*^     On  the  lid  of 
the  box,  were  three  mysterious  characters,  in  a  triangular 
form,  and  within  is  discovered  a  key  to  the  same,  which 
are  found  to  signify  the  incommunicable  name  of  the  deity 
— Jehovah — a  name  which  the  modern  Jews  superstitiously 
decline  pronouncing.     From  this  brief — and  it  is  a  very 
brief  abstract — the  design  of  the  degree  will  readily  sug- 
gest itself.     It  is  intended  to  inculcate  a  belief,  that,  under 
providence,  the  christian  world  is  indebted  to  Freemasonry 
for  the  preservation,  and  discovery  when  lost,  of  the  book 
of  the  law,  and  also  the  highest  reverence  for  the  name  of 
the  deity.     It  likewise  has  a  direct  bearing  upon  another 
tenet  of  Masonry,  viz :  that  the  appropriate  name  of  God, 
and  a  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being,  have  been  preserv- 
ed by  this  institution,  in  every  country  where  Masonry  ex- 
isted, while  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  the  people  of  those 
heathen  nations  where  it  did  exist,  but  who  were  not  initia- 
ted into  its  mysteries,  were  sunk  in  the  darkness  of  pagan- 
ism.    During  the  process  of  conferring  the  degree,  a  great 
multitude  of  passages  of  scripture  are  recited,  some  of  wliich 
are  historical,  while  others  are  striking  for  their  sublimity 
and  beauty,  deeply  impressive  and  devotional.f     The  lec- 
ture which  succeeds,  embraces  a  variety  of  historical  par- 
ticulars respecting  the  first,  and  the  rearing  of  the  second 
temple,  together  with  rapid  glances  at  the  history  of  the 
Jewish  nation  itself,  from  the  days  of  Solomon  to  the  return 
from  the  captivit)^ — all  of  which  must  be  familiar  to  those 
who  read  their  bibles,  and  the  next  best  book  of  Jewish 
history — Josephus. 

♦Numb.xvii.  8—10. 

■f  The  followini^  are  the  passages  referred  to  : — Isaiah,  xlii.  16.  Exo.  iii, 
1 — 0.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  11—20.  Ezra,  i.  1-^3.  Exod.  iii.  13 — 14.  Psfdm.cxli. 
cxlii.  cxliii.  Exod.  iv.  I— 10.  HapL^i.  ii.  1—9—23.  Zech.  iv.  6—10.  John, 
i.  1_5.  Dout.  xxxi.  24— 26.  Exod.  xxv.  21.  Exod.  xvi.  32— .34.  IS'uml. 
xvii.  10.     llcb.  ix.  2— 5.     Amos,  ix.  11.    Exod.  vi.  23.     2.  Chron.  chap.  x. 


I 


LETTER  V.  49 

As  a  scenic  representation,  this  degree,  when  conferred 
within  a  chapter-room  which  is  appropriately  furnished,  is 
far-more  splendid  and  effective,  than  either  of  its  predeces- 
sors.    The  pattern  of  the  chapter  is  taken  from  the  rich  pa- 
vilion-temple, erected  by  Moses  in  the  wilderness.     The 
curtains  are  of  blue,  purple  and  scarlet — the  first  being  an 
emblem  of  universal  friendship  and  benevolence  ;  the  second 
of  harmony  among  brethren  and  everlasting  truth  ;  and  the 
third  inculcating  fervency  of  our  devotions  to  God,  and  zeal 
in  promoting  the  happiness  of  men.     The  robes  of  the  offi- 
cers, of  yet  richer  materials  and  more  brilliant  colors — that 
of  the  high  priest  being  made  after  the  pattern  of  the  pon- 
tifical robes  of  Aaron — together  with  the  jewels  and  various 
insignia  of  the  order,  combine,  with  the  other  fanciful  deco- 
rations, to  make  up  a  very  attractive  pageant.     And  the 
actual  adventures  encountered  during  the  work  of  the  de- 
gree— the  kindling  of  curiosity,  and  the  excitement  of  toil 
and  sudden    vicissitudes,  prevent  the  candidate  from  any 
close  scrutiny  at  the  time,  in  regard  to  the  bearing  of  the 
circumstances  represented,  or  the  history,  real  or  tradition- 
al, upon  which  the  degree  is  founded.     Subsequent  reflec- 
tion, on  the  part  of  intelligent  and  well-informed  men,  satis- 
fies them  very  shortly,  that  the  facts  upon  w^hich  the  degree 
is  founded,  are  too  absurd  to  render  the  legend  probable, 
could  even  its  existence  be  traced  back  the  half  of  a  thou- 
sand years.     With  such,  however,  where  there  is  in  fact 
no  delusion,  and  with  whom  the  history  and  the  traditions 
are  received  exactly  for  what  they  are  worth,  and  no  more, 
no  harm  can  arise,  as  I  can  perceive,  from  these  attempts  to 
impress  lessons  of  the  moral  virtues  by  actions  and  symbols 
addressed  to  the  senses.     But  I  fear  that  it  is  not  so  with 
great  numbers  of  unenlightened  and  simple-minded  men. 
Mingling  these  traditions  with  the  little  biblical  learning 
they  may  have  picked  up,  they  are  exceedingly  liable  to 

confound  them  altogether,  and  attach  as  much  importance  to 

7 


50  LETTER   V. 

the  legends  of  the  lodge-room,  as  to  the  inspired  records 
themselves. 

In  the  final  charge  of  the  candidate  exalted  to  thfs  de- 
gree, he  is  told,  that  the  rites  and  ceremonies  developed 
therein,  have  been  handed  down  through  a  chosen  kw,  un- 
changed by  time  ;  and  he  is  exhorted  to  regard  them  with 
the  same  veneration,  and  transmit  them  to  his  successors 
with  the  same  scrupulous  purity.  He  is  again  admonished 
as  to  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  to  his  brethren  and 
his  creator — "  the  sacred  source  from  whence  all  earthly 
"  comforts  flow" — and  is  told  "  that  having  attained  this  de- 
"  gree,  he  has  arri\  ed  at  the  summit  and  perfection  of  Ma- 
"  sonry."  After  the  cliarge,  the  companions  assemble,  and, 
kneeling  again  around  the  altar,  the  chapter  is  closed  with 
much  solemnity. 

Of  the  history  of  this  degree  I  cannot  speak  with  desirable 
certainty. — It  is  asserted,  but  with  how  much  truth  I  have 
not  the  means  of  deciding,  that  the  first  warrant  was  granted 
by  Charles  Edward  Stuart,  son  of  the  pretender,  to  hold  a 
chapter  of  an  order  called  the  Scotch  Jacobite,  at  Arras,  in 
France,  where  he  had  received  many  favors  at  the  hands  of 
the  Masons.  This  chapter,  it  is  also  said,  was  subsequent- 
ly removed  to  Paris,  where  it  was  called  Le  Chapitre 
d! Arras,  and  is,  in  fact,  the  original  of  our  present  Royal 
Arch  chapter.  The  author  of  Ahiman  Rezon  gives  the  ibrm 
of  a  royal  arch  prayer,  which  is,  in  truth,  very  pious  and 
devotional,  and  speaks  of  the  degree  as  existing  in  England, 
as  far  back  as  1744,  quoting  a  passage  from  Dr.  Fifield 
D'Assigney,  as  authority.  The  author  himself  says  he  be- 
lieves "  tiie  degree  of  rbyal  arch  to  be  the  root,  heart  and 
"  marrow  of  IVIasonry." 

Many  of  the  o})ponents  of  the  Masonic  institution  have 
believed,  or  affected  to  believe,  that  in  its  character  and  ob- 
jects, it  partakes  largely  of  the  nature  of  the  Holy  Vehme — 
the  secret  tribunal  of  Westphalia, — which  figures  so  advan- 


LETTER  V.  51 

tageously  in  the  wild  legends  of  German  romance,  and  which 
has  been  so  effectively  introduced  in  one  of  the  later  tales 
of  the  unrivalled  novelist  of  Scotland.     Others,  again,  and 
in  great  numbers,  have  not  hesitated  to  stigmatise  it  as  en- 
tertaining principles  in  common  with  the  dreaded  Illuminism 
which  is  believed  to  have  been  so  potent  an  agent  in  preci- 
pitating France  into  the  terrible  revolution  of  1789 — '93  ; 
the  influence  of  which  has  not,  even  to  this  day,  ceased  to  be 
felt  in  Europe.     But  these  suspicions  are  altogether  idle  and 
groundless.     The  Abbe  Barruel,  it  is  true,  cites  an  anony- 
mous German  discourse,  entitled  the  "  Ultimate  Fate  of  the 
"  Freemasons,"  which  was  pronounced  on  the  breaking  up  of 
a  Freemason's  lodge,  and  in  which  the  author  gave  divers 
reasons  why  the  lodges  should  suspend  their  labors,  "  since 
"  Illuminism  had  intruded  itself  into  Masonry."  But  the  soci- 
ety of  the  Illuminati  was  founded  by  Weishaupt,  at  Ingol- 
stadt,  more  than  thirty  years  after  the  Masonic  institution 
had  been  transplanted  to  America  !     It  was  in  1730  that 
Freemasonry  was  brought  to  the  then  colonies  of  America, 
and  the  society  of  the  Illuminati  was  instituted  in  1776.     It 
is  true,  as  the  authors  of  the  Conversations  Lexicon  state,  that 
the  constitution  of  the  "  enlightened,''  and  the  organization 
of  the  society,  "were  taken  partly  from  the  Jesuits,  and 
"  partly  from  the  Masons."  But  even  the  Abbe  Barruel  him- 
self, anxious  as  he  was  to  bla.st  the  reputation  of  Masonry, 
does  not  aver  that  Illuminism  drew  its  origin  from  the  craft, 
"  since  the  fact  has  been  made  to  appear" — I  quote  his  own 
words — "  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the  founder  of  Illuminism 
"  only  became  a  Mason  in  1777,  and  was  two  years  after- 
'•  wards  [almost]  wholly  unacquainted  with  its  mysteries." 
The  association  of  the  Illuminati  was  founded  upon  the  high- 
est professions  of  morality  and  virtue.     In  its  most  flourish- 
ing condition,  it  is  said  to  have  numbered  more  than  two 
thousand  members,  among  whom  were  individuals  of  dis- 
tinguished talents  and  high  rank.     And,  however  wicked 


52  LETTER   V. 

may  have  been  the  intentions  of  its  founder,  or  to  whatever 
base  uses  it  may  have  been  prostituted  in  the  course  of  its 
brief  existence,  I  think  that  Freemasonry  cannot  justly  be 
charged  w^ith  any  of  its  abominations,  even  though  some  of 
its  forms  may  have  been  borrowed  from  its  printed  rituals, 
or  then  unwritten,  though  not  entirely  secret,  ceremonies.  I 
mean  to  be  understood  here  as  speaking  more  particularly 
of  ancient  Freemasonry  of  the  three  first  degrees  only ;  for 
the  evidence  of  the  existence,  at  that  period,  of  the  subse- 
quent degrees  is  questionable.  I  have  already  stated  that 
the  establishment  of  the  first  lodge  of  Masons  in  this  coun- 
try, was  in  1 730.  The  first  lodge  in  France,  upon  the  same 
system — the  English — was  instituted  five  years  earlier,  and 
the  first  in  Germany,  five  years  later,  viz  :  in  1735.  The 
first  royal  arch  chapter  was  established  in  America,  by  M. 
M.  Hayes,  a  Jew,  at  Boston,  in  1764.  Hayes  had  been 
appointed  inspector  general  of  all  Masonic  institutions  in 
America,  by  Stephen  Morin,  another  Jew,  who  received 
his  authority  from  the  Grand  Consistory  of  Paris,  in  1761. 
The  grand  commander  of  the  consistory,  at  that  time,  was 
Pliilip  Louis  Joseph,  then  Duke  of  Chartres,  afterwards 
Duke  of  Orleans,  and  subsequently  Mons.  Egalite,  the  fa- 
ther of  the  present  king  of  the  French,  and  one  of  the  most 
profligate  of  princes.  This  prince  was  high  in  the  confi- 
dence of  the  French  Masons,  and  was  grand  master  at  Ly- 
ons. He  became  a  member  of  the  jacobin  club  in  Paris  ; 
and,  after  sacrificing  Louis  XVI.  and  voting  for  his  death, 
in  the  convention,  was  himself,  within  a  year,  borne  to  the 
scaflx)ld,  amidst  the  scoffs  and  insults  of  the  populace.  The 
first  grand  chapter  in  the  United  States,  was  instituted  in 
1797.  It  was  two  years  subsequently  to  this  period,  that, 
by  the  act  of  the  British  Parliament,  mentioned  in  a  former 
letter,  against  the  administration  of  unlawful  oaths,  all  other 
than  the  three  ancient  degrees,  were  virtually  inhibited  in 
the  three  kingdoms.     Of  these  higher  degrees,  as  they  are 


LETTER   V.  53 

given  in  France,  Barruel  says  : — "  After  the  three  first  de- 
"  grees,  they  cast  off  all  restraint, — throw  aside  all  emblems 
"  and  allegorical  figures, — and  openly  act  upon  the  princi- 
"  pie  of  war  against  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  and  against 
"  kings  and  their  thrones."     It  is  possible  that  this  repre- 
sentation of  the  alarmed  French  ecclesiastic,  may  have  cau- 
sed the  provisions  of  the  English  statute  referred  to.     But 
no  representation  could  be  more  unjust  and  scandalous,  as 
it  respects  the  royal  arch  Masons  of  the  United  States, 
from  whatever  source  their  degrees  may  have  been  taken. 
According  to  the  Abbe's  disclosures  of  Scotch  Freema- 
sonry, there  are  several  striking  coincidences  between  the 
order  of  the  Knights  of  St.  Andrew's,  and  the  degree  of  the 
royal  arch,  as  described  in  the  present  letter.     Buf  his  ac- 
counts of  the  lower  degrees  of  ancient  Masonry,  are  so  ut- 
terly at  war  with  the  truth,  as  the  degrees  have  been  con- 
ferred in  the  United  States, — such  outrageous  and  unblush- 
ing misrepresentations,  or  rather  fictions, — that  very  little 
confidence  is  to  be  reposed  in  any  of  his  assertions.     Bo 
these  things,  however,  as  they  may,  the  scriptural  and  tra- 
ditional history  of  the  degree  is  equally  as  fabulous  as  that 
of  the  master  Mason.     Even  Dr.  Dalcho  pronounces  the 
claim   that   the  book  of  the   law  was   preserved  by  the 
Masons,  and  discovered  by  them,  as  revealed  in  the  legend, 
to  be  unsupported  by  "  any  authority,  sacred  or  profane." 
Copies  of  the  law,  he  says,  very  truly,  had  been  multiplied. 
Daniel  the  prophet  had  a  copy  during  the  captivity,  as  also 
had  Ezra  ;  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  many  others  had  co- 
pies likewise. 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly,  yours. 


54  LETTER  VI. 


LETTER   VI. 

New- York,  Dec.  10,  1831. 
Sir, 

I  have  already  asserted  my  own  belief,  that  there  are  but 
three  degrees  of  Masonry,  having  any  possible  claims  to  an- 
tiquity— and  even  those,  I  shall  by  and  bye  show  to  be  of 
no  very  ancient  date. — In  the  minds  of  all  Masons,  howev- 
er, ancient  Masonry  closes  with  the  degree  of  royal  arch — 
describeti  in  my  last  communication.  All  the  subsequent 
degrees  are  admitted  to  be  distinct  from  Freemasonry  pro- 
per— of  modern  date — and  of  little  comparative  importance. 

I  have  taken  three  degrees  of  knighthood,  viz :  the  Red 
Cross,  Knight  of  Malta,  and  the  Templar's  degree.  I  have 
likewise  taken  two  intermediate  degrees,  between  the  royal 
arch  and  the  red  cross,  viz :  the  degree  of  Royal  Master,  and 
that  of  the  Select  Master.  Both  of  these  are  intended  as 
additions  to  the  masonic  traditions  respecting  the  secret 
vault,  the  loss  of  the  master's  word,  by  the  death  of  the  wi- 
dow's son — the  preservation  of  the  book  of  the  law,  and  the 
discovery  of  the  same,  together  with  the  long-lost  master's 
word,  as  represented  in  the  seventh  degree.  I  will  not  tres- 
pass upon  your  time  and  patience  by  going  into  the  details 
of  the  ceremonies,  and  baseless  legends,  of  these  degrees. 
The  first  is  trifling ; — the  second  very  pretty  as  a  spectacle, 
and  amusing  in  its  action.  The  lodge  is  arranged  with 
great  order,  and  with  a  view  to  effect ;  and  the  decorations 
are  tasteful  and  imposing.  The  design  of  this  last  mentioned 
degree,  professedly,  is  to  exemplify  the  qualities  of  justice 
and  MERCY.  That  both  are  of  very  modern  origin,  there 
can  be  no  doubt.     Had  they  been  framed  cotemporaneousr 


LETTER  Vi.  55 

[y  with  the  system  to  which  they  have  been  attached  as  ad- 
denda, the  royal  master's  degree  would  have  been  interpo- 
sed between  the  second  and  third ;  and  that  of  select  mas- 
ter between  the  fifth  and  sixth. 

The  ineffable  degrees,  so  called,  I  never  would  consent 
to  take — having  always  entertained  a  horror  of  every  thing 
approaching  the  Illuminism  of  infidel  France  and  Germany. 
I  had  no  knowledge  of  there  being  any  connexion  between 
them,  but  having  at  an  early  age  perused  the  startling  works 
of  the  Abbe  Barruel  and  Robison,  upon  this  subject ;  and 
having  likewise,  in  once  passing  through  an  ineffable  lodge- 
room,  had  my  "  young  blood"  frozen  by  the  sight  of  the  em- 
blems— among  which  were  an  automaton  head,  disfigured 
and  bloody,  and  a  more  substantial  "  dagger"  than  that 
which  the  guilty  Macbeth,  in  his  distempered  imagina- 
tion, "  saw  before  him,"  I  had  no  desire  to  form  a  more  in- 
timate acquaintance  with  those  degrees.  Indeed,  such  was 
my  caution  upon  this  subject,  that  I  did  not  venture  even 
upon  the  first  step  of  masonry,  until  I  had  been  satisfied  by 
the  solemn  assurances  of  a  gentleman  of  character  and  great 
moral  worth, — a  gentleman  who  was  then,  and  remains  yet, 
a  royal  arch  Mason — that  there  was  not  the  remotest  con- 
nexion between  the  institutions.  The  denunciations  of 
French  Masonry  and  Illuminism,  by  the  Abbe,  had  well  nigh 
taught  me  to  beheve,  that  monsters  more  terrible  than  the  fa- 
bled hydra,  or  the  serpents  which  destroyed  Laocoon,  arose 
from  their  altars.  In  my  imagination  I  had  beheld  order, 
government,  and  religion,  writhing  and  agonizing  in  the 
accursed  folds  of  these  dragons,  and  expiring  by  their  blast- 
ing breath.  The  Abbe  had  almost  convinced  me  that  the 
dreams  of  Condorcet,  the  blasphemies  of  Voltaire,  and  the 
daggers  of  Robespierre,  had  all  issued  from  the  privacy  of 
the  lodge-room,  heaping  the  tragic  horrors  of  that  period 
upon  the  devoted  head  of  revolutionary  France.  But  the 
assurances  of  my  friend,  a  gentleman  of  education,  and  of 


56  LETTER   VI. 

exemplary  conduct  in  all  the  relations  of  society,  convinced 
me  that  in  Freemasonry  simply,  I  had  nothing  to  apprehend 
upon  that  head.  With  assurances  from  such  a  source,  1  en- 
tered the  lodge  ;  and  you  have  my  experience,  in  Masonry 
proper,  before  you,  in  the  preceding  letters.  A  compendious 
notice  of  those  degrees  of  knighthood  which  I  have  taken, 
will  form  the  subject  of  the  present  communication.  And 
even  this  brief  outline  of  these  degrees,  would  have  been 
entirely  omitted,  as  having  only  a  slight  bearing  upon  the 
great  object  of  these  letters,  did  I  not  foresee  that  some  re- 
ferences, to  at  least  one  of  them,  will  be  necessary  before  my 
present  labors  can  be  closed. 

First  in  order  of  these  three — and  they  are  of  the  highest 
rank  of  all  the  honorary  degrees,— that  of  the  Templars  being 
chiefest — are  the  Knights  of  the  Red  Cross.  Why  it  is  so 
called  I  am  not  able  to  determine,  since  it  has  no  relation 
whatever  to  the  religion  of  the  cross,  and  is,  in  fact,  neither 
taken  from  the  old  testament  dispensation,  nor  from  the 
new.  Nor,  indeed,  is  this  chivalrous  order  mentioned  in 
any  Masonic  book  of  more  than  fifty  years  old.  Still, 
as  a  pastime,  it  is  one  of  the  most  agreeable  of  the 
whole  series,  and  is,  perhaps,  less  objectionable  than  any 
other.  It  is  connected,  in  its  traditions,  with  the  prepara- 
tions of  the  Jews  for  returmng  from  the  captivity,  to  rebuild 
the  temple  ;  and  the  whole  history  may  be  found,  almost 
in  the  terms  set  down  in  the  formularies,  in  Josephus,*  and 
likewise  in  the  Apocrypha.f  After  the  elevation  of  Darius 
Hystaspes  to  the  Persian  throne,  Zerobabel,  who  had 
been  made  governor  of  those  Jews  already  returned 
from  the  captivity,  revisited  the  Persian  court,  where,  hav- 
ing been  an  old  friend  of  Darius,  he  is  preferred  to  a  post  of 
honor  in  the  palace.     Having,  on  some  occasion,  made  a 

♦  Ant:  book  xii.  chap.  iii. 
t  I.  Esdras,  chap.  iii.  and  iv. 


LETTER  VI.  57 

great  feast  for  his  princes,  his  principal  courtiers,  and  other 
officers  of  state,  the  monarch,  on  retiring  to  bed,  after  a  short 
slumber,  awoke,  and  was  unable  again  to  compose  himself 
to  sleep.  Falling  into  a  conversation  with  the  three  guards  of 
his  body,  he  proposed  three  questions  for  a  disputation  on 
the  following  day — promising  that  the  successful  orator  in 
the  contest  should  be  clothed  in  purple  and  gold ;  drink  in 
golden  cups  ;  ride  in  all  the  splendor  of  oriental  magnifi- 
cence ;  sit  by  the  side  of  the  king  ;  and  be  called  his  cousin. 
The  questions  were  :  which  is  the  strongest — wine  ?  kings  ? 
or  women  ?  and  whether  Truth  was  not  stronger  than 
either  ?  At  the  appointed  time  all  the  princes  and  wise  men 
being  collected,  the  questions  were  discussed.  The  first 
contended  for  the  power  of  wine  ;  the  second  for  that  of 
womeb ;  and  the  third,  who  was  Zerobabel,  asserted  the 
superior  power  of  women  ;  but,  above  all,  he  contended  that 
TRUTH  was  far  stronger  than  either — stronger  than  all 
things  ;  it  being  immortal,  eternal,  and  co-existent  with  the 
deity.  The  victory  was  awarded  to  Zerobabel  by  accla- 
mation ;  and  when  the  king  commanded  that  he  should 
make  some  request  in  addition  to  the  promised  reward,  the 
■Hebrew  reminded  his  majesty  of  a  vow  he  had  formerly 
made,  that  in  the  event  of  his  ever  being  called  to  the  throne, 
he  w^ould  rebuild  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  ;  and  restore 
the  holy  vessels  taken  thence  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  The 
request  is  of  course  granted  with  alacrity.  There  is  con- 
siderable discrepancy  in  the  narrative,  as  given  by  Jose- 
phus,  and  the  apocryphal  writer,  particularly  in  reference 
to  the  manner  in  which  the  scene  is  got  up  in  the  Persian- 
court.  Whiston,  in  his  note  upon  the  passage,  prefers  the 
authority  of  Josephus,  which  is  followed  by  the  Masons, 
while  the  arguments  upon  the  questions  are  taken  from  Es- 
dras.  The  enacting  of  the  scenes,  in  a  dramatic  form,  main- 
ly constitutes  the  ceremonies  of  this  degree  ;  and  when  the 

8 


58  LETTER  VI. 

scenery  is  rich  and  appropriate,  and  the  officers  and  mem- 
bers understand  their  parts  of  the  play,  it  is  susceptible  bl 
affording  a  pleasant  entertainment.  The  principal  interest, 
where  there  are  men  of  intelligence  present,  capable  of  ex- 
temporaneous speaking,  arises  from  the  discussion  ;  as  the 
speakers  are  not  confined  to  the  forms,  so  that  the  chain  of 
argument,  and  the  points  to  be  illustrated,  are  preserved. 
The  object  aimed  at  in  this  degree,  is  the  inculcation  of  the 
power  and  importance  of  truth. 

The  order  of  the  Knights  of  Malta,  is  usually  conferred  in 
connexion  with  that  of  the  Templar — the  latter  being  consid- 
ered of  far  the  greatest  importance.  It  professes  to  be 
founded  principally  upon  the  shipwreck  of  Paul ;  and  the 
chapter  of  the  Acts  relating  the  particulars  of  that  event,  or 
the  latter  portion  of  it,  is  read  during  the  ceremonies. 
Whether  it  has  in  reality  any  connexion  with,  or  resem- 
blance to,  the  order  of  the  Hospitallers  of  St.  John  of  Jeru- 
salem, subsequently  known  in  the  history  of  chivalry,  as 
Knights  of  St.  John,  Knights  of  Rhodes,  and  lastly  of  Malta, 
I  have  no  means  of  determining.  As  that  order,  however, 
was  only  extinguished  as  a  military  association,  during 
the  war  between  England  and  the  French  Republic,  when 
the  island  of  Malta,  given  them  by  the  Emperor  Charles  V., 
after  their  defeat  and  expulsion  from  Rhodes  by  Soliman 
and  his  300,000  Saracens,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  First 
Consul,  (then  on  his  way  to  Egypt,)  it  is  possible  that  re- 
semblances in  certain  rites  and  ceremonies  might  exist. 
But  I  must  be  allowed  to  doubt  whether  Raymond  de  Puy, 
were  he  to  descend  and  visit  a  modern  encampment,  would 
recognise  any  of  the  ceremonies,  which  were  approved  and 
confirmed  to  the  order  by  Innocent  II.,  in  11 30.  Neverthe- 
less, the  masonic  writers — for.  the  Masons  are,  the  only  her- 
alds of  these  modern  institutions  of  mimic  chivalry — attempt 
to  identify  the  orders  mentioned,  as  one  and  the  same — so 


LETTER  VI. 


59 


that,  in  imagination  at  least,  the  grandmaster  of  one  of  our 
little  encampments,  ranks  with  d'  Aubresson,  holding  at  bay 
the  fierce  legions  of  Mahomet  11. 

If,  then,  I  am  compelled  to  doubt  as  to  the  antiquity  of 
the  knights  of  Malta,  in  any  thing  like  their  jiresent  organ- 
ization, how  much  stronger  must  be  those  doubts  in  respect 
o    the  Templars — an  order  that  has  been  suppressed  for  so 
many  centuries  ?     The  Templars  were  the  oldest  military 
order  in  the  world.     The  principal  founders   of  it  were 
Hugo  de  Paganis,  and  Geoffrey,  of  St.  Omer  s,  and  the  cre- 
ation of  the  order  was  patronised  by  Baldwin  IL,  king  of 
Jerusalem,  who  gave  them  an  apartment  in  his  palace,  near 
the  temple  of  the    holy   sepulchre.     Hence   the    name — 
Templars.     According  to  their  original  constitution,  they 
were  obliged  to  devote  themselves  to  the  service  of  God, 
under  pledges  of  living  in  perpetual  chastity,  poverty,  and 
obedience.     In  the  year   1228  of  the  Christian  era,  they 
had  acquired  stability,  and  the  order  was  confirmed  by  the 
Council  of  Troyes — their  grand  master  residing  in  Paris, 
after  the  Croises  had  lost  the  Holy  Land.     The  order  con- 
tinued to  increase,  and  by  their  deeds  in  arms,  acquired 
great  wealth  and  power.     But  as  they  became   rich  and 
prosperous,  they  were  affirmed  to  have  grown  shockingly 
arrogant   and   corrupt — to   say  nothing  of  luxuriousness. 
Ultimately  the  order  was  suppressed,  under  the  most  terri- 
ble circumstances  of  infamy  and  severity,  by  Philip   the 
Fair,  of  France,  A.  D.  1307.     It  is  very  probable  that  the 
accumulation  of  wealth,   and    the    acquisition  of  powe;% 
brought  the  usual  evil  consequences  in  their  train  ;  but  un- 
prejudiced historians  have  well  doubted  the  truth  of  the 
allegations  brought  against  them  by  their  foes.     There  had 
been  a  quarrel  between  Philip  and  Pope  Boniface  VIIL, 
during  which  the  monarch  found  himself  excommunicated, 
and  his  kingdom  laid  under  an  interdict.     In  this   contro- 
versy, the  Templars  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Pope,,  while 


60  LETTER   VI. 

the  Knights  of  Malta  sided  with  Pliihp.     After  the  death  of 
the   Pope,  Philip  became   reconciled  with   his  successor, 
Boniface  IX.,  and  also  with  his  successor  Clement  V.     Phil- 
ip now  meditated  revenge  upon  the  Templars,  and  addres- 
sed ll^mself  to  the  Holy  See  with   success.     The  hapless 
knights  were  hunted  and  seized  throughout  Europe,  in  the 
year  above  mentioned,  and  those  who  would  not  confess 
the  horrible  charges  preferred  against  them,  were  put  to 
death  by  cruel  tortures.     The  accusations   against   them 
were — the  holding  of  a  correspondence  with  the  Saracens, — 
insulting  the  majesty  of  God, — trampling  upon  all  laws  hu- 
man and  divine, — spitting  upon  the  picture  of  the  Saviour, 
and  bowing  in  worship  to  a  cat,  and  a  w^ooden  head  gilded 
and   crowned,  6z^c.,   during   the  ceremonies  of   initiation. 
Many  of  the  knights  most  solemnly  asserted  their  innocence, 
but  to  no  purpose, — for  in  1312,  the  whole  order  was  totally 
suppressed  by  the  Council  of  Vienna,  and  many  innocent 
men  were  put  to  'death  under  the  most  exquisite  tortures 
that  hum.an  ingenuity  and  cruelty  could  devise.     History, 
and  romance,  have  alike  labored  to  exalt,  and  to  defame, 
this  devoted  race  af  men.     The  Abbe  Barruel,  and  Profes- 
sor Robison,  have  both  given  the  fullest  credence  to  the 
most  atrocious  of  the  calumnies  propagated  against  them. 
Indeed,  in  the  distempered  imagination  of  the  Abbe,  no  man 
who  enters  a  lodge-room,  after  the  first  three  degrees,  can 
again  come  forth,  save  as  a  monster  of  impurity  and  crime. 
My  own  opinion  is,  that  the  Templars  were,  comparatively 
speaking,  the  innocent  victims  of  the  revenge  and  cupidity 
of  Philip. 

The  historical  reader  will,  probably,  at  first  blush,  deem 
the  preceding  sketch  of  the  Templars'  order,  as  uncalled  for, 
if  not  out  of  place,  in  a  running  narrative  like  the  present. 
But  it  seemed  to  me  necessary  to  bring  into  view  the  char- 
acter of  the  original  institution,  and  the  crimes  alledged 
against  it,  in  order  to  contrast  it  with  the  order  of  specula- 


LETTER  VI.  61 

tive  knighthood,  professedly  derived  from  it,  of  which  I  am 
now  particularly  to  speak. 

There  is  not  the  remotest  resemblance,  in  any  one  re- 
spect, either  historical  or  traditional ;  in  the  design,  object, 
or  intention  ;  or  in  the  manner  of  conferring  them,  between 
the  Templar's  degree,  as  described  by  the  Abbe  Barruel, 
and  that  conferred  in  the  United  States.     There,  we  are  in- 
formed by  the  credulous  Abbe — to  whom  I  refer  thus  fre- 
quently, because  it  is  by  him  that  most  of  the   prejudices 
existing  against  the  Masons  before  the  fatal  year  1826,  and 
by  the  dark  deed  of  that  year  revived  and  strengthened, 
have  been  created — there,  in  France,  "  they  admit  into  this 
"  temple  with  equal  indifference,  the  Christian  or  the  Jew, 
"  the  Turk  or  the  Idolater,  in  fine,  without  distinction  of 
"  sect  or  religion."*  And  again,  farther  on,  the  Abbe  says  : — 
"  Many  circumstances  relating  to  this  degree,  made  us  be- 
"  lieve,  at  first  sight,  that  it  was  connected  with  Illuminism  ; 
"  but  on  a  farther  examination  we  find  it  to  be  only  a  farther 
"  explanation  of  the  Masonic  allegory.     Here,  again,  the 
*'  candidate  is  transformed  into  an  assassin.     Here,  it  is  no 
".longer  the  founder  of  Masonry,  Hiram,  that  is  to  be  aven- 
"ged,  but  it   is  Molay,  the   [last]    Grand    Master  of  the 
"  Knights  Templars,  and  the  person  who  is  to  fall  by  the 
*'  assassin's  hand,  is  Philip  le  Bel,  king  of  France,  under 
"  whose  reign  the  order  of  the  Templars  was   destroyed." 
The  Abbe  labors  throughout  to  show,  that  the  whole  design 
of  the  masonic  system,  is  gradually  to  undermine  the  faith 
of  the  candidate  in  Christianity, — substituting  deism  in  its 
place, — until  this  degree  is  reached,  when  all  disguise  is 
cast  aside  ;  and  the  assassin-candidate  is  taught,  that  his 
revenge  against  Philip  le  Bel,  is  now  to  be  directed  against 
all   kings  and  priests.     As    applicable  to  this  country  it 
would  read — against  all  government  and  religion. 

+  Anti-monarchical  conspiracy,  chap,  x, 


62  LETTER  VI. 

Now,  so  far  from  this  horribly  wicked  design  being  true, 
the  Templar's  degree  in  the  United  States,  is  founded  en- 
tirely upon  the  christian  religion.     Its  rites  and  ceremonies, 
deeply  and  powerfully  aftecting,  are,  in  their  representa- 
tions, intimately  connected  with  the  closing  scenes  of  that 
glorious  plan  of  redemption,  in  which  the  Son  of  God  died 
ignominiousiy,  as  a  means,  through  faith   in  his    atoning 
blood,  of  reconciling  fallen  man  with  his   offended  Crea- 
tor.    Neither  the  Jew,  Turk,  nor  Infidel,  can  take  this  de- 
gree.    The  candidate,  before  he  can  cross  the  threshhold 
of  the  encampment  for  that  purpose,  is  obliged,  under  cir- 
cumstances of  deep  solemnity,  to  avouch  his  belief  that  Je- 
sus Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  and  also,  that 
he  will  even  wield  a  sword,  should  it  become  necessary,  in 
defence  of  the  religion  taught  by  him,  and  to  the  truth  of 
which  he  affixed  the  seal  of  his  blood.     He  is  also  required, 
wath  equal  solemnity,  after  due  time  allorded  for  sober  and 
secluded  reflection,  to  avouch  his  innocence  of  any  crime  un- 
repented  of,  which  w^ould  render  him  unworthy  of  the  de- 
gree to  w^hich  he  aspires.     Thus  much,  the  substantial  truth 
of  which  I  solemnly  affirm,  I  trust  will  be  sufficient  to  re- 
pel the  charge,  first  above  quoted.     As  it  respects  the  other 
misrepresentation,  that  the  candidate  is  made  to  personate 
a  revengeful  assassin,  which  character,  for  the  attainment  of 
certain  objects,  he  is  required  to  maintain  ever  after,  it  is 
equally  unfounded  and  untrue.     On  the  contrary,  with  us, 
the  candidate  is  made  to  represent  a  pilgrim,  in  pilgrim's 
weeds,  performing  a  seven  years  pilgrimage  with  bread  and 
water,  staff,  scrip  and  sandals ;  and  while  enacting  this  part, 
he  is  instructed  in  some  of  the  most  benign  lessons  of  hu- 
manity and  charity,  to  be  found  in  holy  WTit.     He,  in  the 
next  stage,  personates  a  pilgrim  warrior,  ready  to  wield  his 
sword  in  defence  of  the  christian  religion  ;  and  subsequent- 
ly, he  represents  a  pilgrim  penitent,  visiting  the  holy  sepul- 
chre.    In  the  course  of  the  ceremonies,  the  account  of  the 


LETTER  VI.  63 

apostacy  of  Judas  is  read,  as  recorded  in  the  first  of  the 
Gospels,*  by  way  of  an  admonition  always  to  persevere  in 
the  paths  of  honor,  integrity  and  truth.  Among  the  em- 
blems, at  one  stage  of  the  degree,  is  the  Holy  Bible,  on 
which  lies  a  human  skull,  representing  mortality  resting 
upon  divinity  ;  and  teaching  that  a  foithful  reliance  on  the 
promises  therein  revealed,  will  afford  consolation  in  the 
gloomy  hour  of  death,  and  insure  inevitable  happiness  in 
the  world  to  come.  A  number  of  very  solemn  and  affecting 
lessons  from  the  christian  dispensation  of  the  scriptures,  in 
addition  to  those  just  cited,  are  read  in  the  course  of  this  de- 
gree.f  After  the  reading  of  St.  Matthew's  account  of  the 
ascension,  a  transparency  is  disclosed,  brilliantly  represent- 
ing the  triumph  of  the  Saviour  over  death  and  the  grave, 
and  his  sublime  flight  to  the  regions  of  the  skies.  An  ap- 
propriate hymn  is  sung  at  this  stage  of  the  exercises  ;  and 
v/hen  well  performed,  this  splendid  and  awful  representa- 
tion of  the  conclusion  of  the  hallow^ed  sacrifice  of  the  Re- 
deemer of  the  world,  is  deeply  imposing  and  affecting.  The 
candidate  is  then  addressed  by  the  prelate,  in  language  full 
of  pathos,  tenderness  and  devotional  feeling,  which  cannot, 
and,  in  most  cases,  I  venture  to  say,  does  not,  fail  of  making 
a  solemn  impression. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  the  character  and  principles  of  the 
Templar's  degree,  as  conferred  in  the  United  States.  Its 
foundation,  it  will  be  perceived,  is  in  the  christian  religion, 
and  its  ceremonies  of  a  nature  that  cannot  be  otherwise  than 
of  the  most  solemn  description.  There  is  no  room  for 
mirth  or  amusement  in  the  Templar's  degree  ;  and  although 
some  of  the  representations  may  appear  unmeaning  in  this 
enlightened  age,  or  at  least  fit  only  for  the  dark  centuries 
of  monkish  superstition ;  and  although  objections  may  be 

*  Matl.  xxiv.  14—25.  and  3G— 49. 

t  Jarne?,  i.  1 — 10,  2G,  27.  A  portion  of  llio  2fl  chap,  of  Jamo?.  Matt, 
xxvii.  24— 33.  Arts  i.  15—26.  IMatt.  xxvi.  36—50.  Matt,  x.xviii.  Acts 
x.x.viii.  1 — 6.     .Tohn's  Cvospcl.  xix.  19.     John  x?:.  24 — 28. 


64 


LETTER  VI. 


raised  by  the  scrupulous,  against  such  uses  of  those  awfully 
solemn  and  touching  portions  of  the  book  of  Hte,  yet  I  feel 
myself  abundantly  warranted  in  saying,  that,  whatever  else 
may  be  said  of  it,  still  it  is  not  an  anti-christian  order.  I 
have  not  gone  into  a  minute  description  of  all  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  the  degree  ;  but  have  faithfully  developed 
all  the  facts  and  principles  upon  which  it  is  founded,  and  all 
the  details  which  it  is  essential  for  the  world  to  know.  I 
have  never  mingled  in  more  solemn  assemblies,  than  in  an 
encampment  of  Templars,  engaged  in  conferring  this  de- 
gree. I  have  seldom  heard  voices  more  tremulous  than 
those  I  have  heard  reciting  the  affecting  lessons  contained 
in  its  ritual ;  and  I  have  seen  and  felt  that  every  heart  Was 
swelling  in  unison.  Still,  I  owe  it  in  candor  to  add,  that  1 
have  never  been  altogether  reconciled  to  the  conferring  of 
itj  and  have  felt  many  misgivings,  respecting  it.  Its  repre- 
sentations have  appeared  too  solemn — too  deeply  affecting 
— too  intimately  connected  with  the  immortal  interests  and 
destiny  of  man,  to  be  handled  by  those  of  unclean  lips — by 
any  one  whose  piety  is  not  of  the  most  fervent  and  unques- 
tioned description — by  any  one,  in  short,  whose  office  it  is 
not  to  minister  at  the  altar  in  holy  things. 

When  this  degree  was  first  introduced  as  an  appendage 
to  Masonry,  I  know  not.  The  first  meeting'  of  Knights 
Templars  in  America,  so  far  as  I  am  informed,  was  held  at 
Philadelphia,  in  May,  1797.  Professor  Robison,  of  Edin- 
burgh, a  Mason  and  a  distinguished  scholar,  speaks  of  the 
order  as  "fictitious," — in  saying  which  he  is  unquestionably 
correct.  He  states  that  "  it  was  formed  in  the  lodge  of  the 
"  Knights  of  Benevolencfe,  at  Lyons,  in  France,  and  was 
"  considered  the  model  of  all  the  rest  of  the  mimic  chiv- 

"alry." 

Very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER  VII.  ^^ 


LETTER  VII. 

New- York,  Dec.  15,  1831. 
Sir, 

I  propose  in  the  present  letter,  to  glance  rapidly  at  the 
nature  of  the  masonic  obligations  ;  not,  sir,  for  the  purpose 
of  vindicating  the  whole,  or  any  part  of  them, — (for  under 
my  present  views,  the  multiplication,  even  of  legal  oaths, 
should  be  avoided  as  far  as  it  is  practicable  to  do  so  ;  while 
all  extra  judicial  oaths,  are  always  highly  improper,) — but 
simply  for  the  purpose  of  showing  how  those  obligations 
have  been  administered,  received,  and  understood,  by  virtu- 
ous and  intelligent  men.     "  Swear  not  at  all,"  is  the  com- 
mand of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  "  neither  by 
"  the  heavens,  for  it  is  God's  throne,  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it 
"  is  his  footstool,  but  let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  your  nay, 
"  nay  ;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil :" 
and  although  in  the  imperfect  condition  of  human  society, 
a  literal  compliance  with  this  divine  injunction  has  been 
deemed  impracticable,  yet  it  is  a  golden  rule,  which  ought 
never  to  be  transgressed  when  its  violation  can  be  avoided. 
Nay,  more :  any  society,  secret  or  otherwise,  that  adminis- 
ters oaths,  must  be  dangerous  to  the  well  being  of  the  com- 
munity, if  those  oaths  can  be  supposed  by  any  one  who  takes 
them,  to  be  of  higher  obligation  than  the  laws,  or  if  they  can 
be  so  far  tortured  as  to  allow  of  such  a  construction.     That 
the  obligations  of  the  masonic  order,  in  some  portions  of  our 
country,  have  been  thus  construed,  and  thus  acted  upon, 
will  appear  so  clearly  before  this  discussion  is  closed,  as  to 
render  denial  impossible.     And  this  single  fact,  were  it  un- 
supported by  any  other  circumstances,  would,  in  my  mind, 

9 


66  LETTER  VII. 

be  sufficient  to  render  it  obligatory  upon  the  Masons  to  re- 
linquish the  order. 

In  making  the  preceding  admission,  however,  I  must  be 
allowed,  in  behalf  of  all  those  virtuous  and  intelligent  citi- 
zens with  whom  I  have  formerly  associated  as  a  Mason,  ut- 
terly to  disclaim  any  and  all  constructions  of  those  obliga- 
tions, at  variance  with  the  laws  of  God  or  man,  or  which 
conflict  with  a  proper  discharge  of  all  the  moral,  social,  and 
religious  duties  of  life.     It  is  to  the  provisions  of  the  obli- 
gations of  the  tiiird  and  seventh  degrees,  I  believe,  that 
the  greatest  exceptions  have  been  taken,  and  which  have 
provoked  the  severest  condemnation.     What  the  precise 
terms  of  those  obligations  are,  after  the  numerous  publica- 
tions that  have  been  made  since  the  developements  of  Mor- 
gan, it  would  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  repeat.     Indeed,  it 
will  be  found  that  although  there  is  a  general  concurrence 
in  the  provisions,  very  wide  diversities  of  language  have 
existed ;  and  from  some  of  the  disclosures  that  have  fallen 
under  my  observation,  I  am  not  without  apprehension  that 
serious  innovations  upon  the  established  forms,  have  been 
designedly  made.     For  the  purpose  of  this  examination,  I 
shall  adopt  the  obligations  as  they  appear  in  Barnard's  Light 
on  Masonry^ — the  more  especially  since  the  general  accu- 
racy of  those  obligations,  as  they  have  been  given  in  the 
■western  lodges  of  this  state,  has  been  judicially  established 
by  the  testimony  of  Masons  who  do  not  believe  in  the  bind- 
ing force  of  such  obligations  when  they  come  in  conflict 
with  tlie  laws.*     To  sustain  the  other  point,  also — that  of 
a  wide  disagreement  in  the  phraseology  of  these  obligations, 
as  given  in  diflerent  places — I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  the 
enclosed  copies  of  the  obligations  of  the  seven  degrees,  as 
they  were  given  twenty-five  years  since,  in  the  lodge  and 
chapter  of  an  eastern  city.     They  were  copied  by  a  friend 

# 

*  See  Appendix  A. 


LETTER  VII;  67 

of  mine,  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  from  the  manuscript 
of  a  gentleman,  who  had  been  master  of  the  lodge,  and  high 
priest  of  the  chapter,  and  who  now  occupies,  with  distin- 
guished ability,  a  high  judicial  station  in  his  native  state.  I 
have  this  copy  in  my  possession.  The  forms  are  the  same 
that  were  used  for  a  long  series  of  years  in  the  city  to  which 
I  refer ;  and  when  Royal  Arch  Masonry  was  introduced 
into  Rochester,  in  this  state,  these  forms,  from  the  identical 
papers  before  me,  were  then  and  there  introduced  and 
adopted.*  The  obligation  of  the  seventh,  or  Royal  Arch 
degree,  as  contained  in  this  manuscript,  you  will  perceive 
is  almost  as  widely  different  from  that  contained  in  Barnard's 
book,  as  the  poles  are  asunder. 

The  principal  objection  to  the  Master  Mason's  obligation 
is  raised  with  reference  to  that  portion  which  is  supposed  to 
read  as  follows : — "  Furthermore  do  I  promise  and  swear, 
"  that  a  Master  Mason's  secrets,  given  to  me  in  charge  as 
"  such,  shall  remain  as  secure  and  inviolable  in  my  breast  as 
"  in  his  own,  when  communicated  to  me,  murder  and  trea- 
«  son  excepted ;  and  they  left  to  my  own  election."  The 
last  seven  words  of  this  section,  are,  in  my  apprehension,  an 
innovation.  I  have  not  been  accustomed  to  hear  the  obli- 
gation so  conferred  ;  but  even  if  I  am  in  error  upon  this 
point,  the  explanations  under  which  this,  and  all  the  other 
obligations  are  given,  and  the  charges  which  follow,  conclu- 
sively show,  that  among  men  of  principle  and  sense,  they 
have  never  been  received  as  binding  one  Mason,  under  any 
possible  circumstances,  to  conceal  the  villainy  of  another. 
The  simple  fact  as  to  the  taking  of  these  obligations,  is  this. 
When  the  candidate  is  brought  to  the  altar,  he  is  premon- 
ished  that  he  is  about  to  take  upon  himself  a  solemn  obliga- 
tion. That  obligation,  he  is  told,  will  be  imposed  upon  him 
in  the  same  manner  in  which  it  has  come  down  to  them, 

*  See  Appendix  B. 


68  LETTER  VII. 

and  in  the  same  terms  in  which  it  has  been  taken  by  others. 
In  taking  it  he  is  Hkewise  told,  that  whatever  may  be  the 
peculiar  forms  of  expression  or  phraseology  in  which  the 
obligation  is  given,  he  is  expressly  to  understand,  that  no- 
thing therein  contained  is  to  interfere  with  his  political  or 
religious  principles  ;  with  his  duty  to  God  ;  or  the  laws  of 
his  country.     He  is  also  assured,  that  the  obligation  will  be 
repeated  slowly,  and  if,  at  any  time,  at  any  stage  of  it,  he 
objects  to  any  part  of  the  oath,  he  is  at  liberty  to  state  his 
objection  ;  and  should  the  explanations  prove  unsatisfacto- 
ry, he  is  assured  that  he  shall  be  as  safely  conducted  out  of 
the  lodge,  as  he  was  brought  into  it.     I  give  these  explana- 
tions as  I  received  them,  and  as  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
seeing  them  conferred  upon  others.     If  the  practice  has 
been  different  elsewhere,  in  the  west,  the  class  of  Masons, 
in  whose  behalf  I  am  making  them,  are  not  to  blame.     I 
know  that  a  very  different  notion  prevails,  as  to  the  manner 
of  introducing  a  candidate  ;  it  having  been  widely  and  in- 
dustriously affirmed,  that  the  moment  the  candidate  crosses 
the  threshold  of  a  lodge-room,  he  is  deprived  of  all  freedom 
of  action,  and  is  compelled,  by  terror  and  threats,  if  not  by 
positive  force,  to  proceed.     And  I  have  been  astonished, 
since  I  began  this  investigation,  to  find  that  Elder  Barnard 
has  himself  affirmed  this  misrepresentation.  His  words  are  : 
"  The  reader  will  here  learn  one  reason  why  those  who  en- 
"  ter  a  lodge,  never  come  out,  until  they  have  taken  the 
"  degree.     The  candidate  is  made  to  promise  upon  his  hon- 
"  or,  that  he  will  *  conform  to  all  the  ancient  established 
"  usages  and  customs  of  the  fraternity  ;'  hence,  let  him  be 
"  ever  so  much  opposed  to  the  ceremonies  of  initiation,  or 
"  the  oath  of  the  degree,  he  cannot  go  back,  for  he  feels 
"  bound  by  his  promise.  Should  he,  however,  feel  constrain- 
"  ed  to  violate  his  word,  the  persuasions,  and,  if  necessary, 
"  the  threats  of  the  master  and  brethren,  counsel  him  to  go 


LETTER  VII.  69 

"forward  !"*  There  is  not,  sir,  so  far  as  I  have  any  know- 
ledge of  the  usages  of  Masonry,  a  single  syllable  of  truth  in 
the  passage  I  have  here  quoted.  Nor  do  any  of  my  mason- 
ic acquaintances  hesitate  to  declare,  their  utter  and  entire 
ignorance  of  even  a  single  instance  wherein  any  such  con- 
straint was  ever  practised  or  even  thought  of.  On  the  con- 
trary, through  the  whole  system,  from  the  lowest  to  the 
highest  degree,  every  step  is  the  result  of  the  most  entire 
freedom  of  thought  and  action.  And  if  a  contrary  prac- 
tice has  prevailed,  it  could  only  have  been,  as  I  have  had 
occasion  to  remark  before,  amongst  men  who  were  capable 
of  compassing  a  deliberate  and  atrocious  murder. 

But  again  :  while  the  obligation  is  administered,  the  can- 
didate supports  the  holy  bible  between  his  hands ;  and  when 
it  is  completed,  he  is  obliged  solemnly  to  pledge  himself  that 
he  receives  that  book  as  "  the  rule  and  guide  of  his  faith  and 
"  practice."  The  square  and  compasses  are  placed  on  the 
top  of  it,  as  it  lies  open  upon  the  altar.  Of  these  he  is  told, 
that  the  square  is  a  symbolical  admonition,  that  he  is  to 
square  his  actions  by  that  book,  while  the  compasses  teach 
him  to  circumscribe  his  views  and  desires  within  proper 
limits,  and  keep  his  passions  within  due  bounds.  I  care 
nothing  for  the  assertion  lately  made,  that  the  bible  is  only 
placed  there  to  gull  and  deceive  the  christian,  while  the 
square  and  compasses  are  for  the  infidel  to  swear  by.  The 
fact  is  not  so.  Is  it  then  to  be  believed,  that  men  of  acknow- 
ledged talents  and  worth  in  public  stations,  and  of  virtuous 
and  frequently  religious  habits  in  the  walks  of  private  life — 
with  the  holy  bible  in  their  hands,  which  they  are  solemnly 
pledged  to  receive,  as  the  rule  and  guide  of  their  faith  and 
practice — and  under  the  grave  and  positive  charge  from  the 
officer  administering  the  obligation,  that  it  is  to  be  taken  in 
strict  subordination  to  the  civil  laws, — can  understand  that 

*  Barnard's  IJcrht,  p.  17, 


70  LETTER  VII. 

obligation,  whatever  may  be  the  pecuHarities  of  its  phrase- 
ology, as  requiring  them  to  countenance  vice  and  criminali- 
ty even  by  silence  ?  Can  it  for  a  moment  be  supposed,  that 
the  hundreds  of  eminent  men,  whose  patriotism  is  unques- 
tioned, and  the  exercise  of  whose  talents  has  helped  to  make 
up  the  "  measure"  of  the  nation's  glory  ; — can  it  be  believed, 
that  the  hundreds  of  eloquent  divines,  whose  talents  and  vir- 
tues have  shed  a  lustre  upon  the  church  history  of  our  coun- 
try, and  who,  by  their  walk  and  conversation,  have,  in  their 
own  lives,  illustrated  the  beauty  of  holiness ; — is  it  to  be  credi- 
ted, that  the  tens  of  thousands  of  those  persons  ranking  among 
the  most  intelligent  and  virtuous  citizens  of  the  most  moral 
and  enlightened  people  on  earth  ; — is  it,  I  ask,  possible,  that 
any  portion  of  this  community,  can,  on  calm  reflection,  be- 
lieve, that  such  men  have  oaths  upon  their  consciences, 
binding  them  to  eternal  silence  in  regard  to  the  guilt  of  any 
man,  because  he  happens  to  be  a  Freemason,  no  matter 
wiiat  be  the  grade  of  offence,  whether  it  be  the  picking  of  a 
pocket,  or  the  shedding  of  blood  ?  It  does  really  seem  to 
me  impossible,  that  such  an  opinion  could,  at  any  moment, 
have  prevailed,  to  any  considerable  extent,  amongst  reflect- 
ing and  intelligent  citizens.  Yet,  still,  I  am  aware  that  an 
awful  example  of  fact  can  be  cited  against  me.  And  I  am 
also  aware,  that  the  authors  of  the  example  to  which  I  refer, 
have  not  been  treated  by  the  whole  masonic  fraternity 
with  that  degree  of  indignation  and  abhorrence  which  they 
justly  merited.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  but  too  true,  that,  in 
some  instances,  ignorance  and  fanaticism  have  conspired  to 
extend  aid  and  comfort  to  those,  who,  with  good  cause,  are 
believed  to  be  of  the  guilty  number.  Still,  however,  I  must 
protest  against  the  construction  attempted  to  be  put  upon 
the  obligations,  as  being  directly  at  variance  with  the  inter- 
pretation always  given  them  by  those  with  whom  I  have 
formerly  mingled  in  intimate  fellowship  among  masons. 


LETTER  VII.  71 

Allow  me,  sir,  to  pursue  this  subject  of  masonic  secrets  a 
little  farther,  since  I  shall  probably  not  have  a  better  op- 
portunity for  disclosing  my  entire  views  upon  this  much- 
discussed  feature  of  the  masonic  institution.  From  the  pe- 
riod at  which  I  reached  the  summit  of  what  is  called  ancient 
Masonry,  I  have  held  but  one  opinion  in  relation  to  masonic 
secrets ;  and  in  that  opinion  I  have  always  found  my  intel- 
ligent brethren  ready  to  concur.  It  was  this :  That  the  es- 
sential secrets  of  Mas  amy,  consisted  in  nothing  more  than 
the  signs,  grips,  pass-words  and  tokens,  essential  to  the  jwe- 
servation  of  the  society  from  the  inroads  of  impostors ;  to- 
gether with  certain  symbolical  emblems,  the  technical  terms 
appertaining  to  which  served  as  a  sort  of  universal  language, 
by  which  the  members  of  the  fraternity  could  distinguish 
each  other,  in  all  places  and  countries  where  lodges  were 
instituted,  and  conducted  like  those  of  the  United  States. 
Such,  and  such  only,  have  I  been  accustomed  to  consider  as 
the  essential  secrets  of  the  order — secrets  of  not  the  least 
consequence  to  the  world,  but  which  were  essential  for  the 
preservation  of  the  society.  All  the  principles,  history,  and 
traditions  of  the  order,  I  have  always  made  the  subjects  of 
free  conversation,  vdienever  it  was  desired.  This  opinion 
is  moreover  sustained  by  the  text-books  of  the  order. 
The  Monitor  says  : — "  Did  the  particular  secrets,  or  pe- 
"culiar  forms  prevalent  among  Masons,  constitute  the- 
^^  essence  of  the  art,  it  might  be  alledged  that  our  amuse- 
"ments  were  trifling,  and  our  ceremonies  superficial. 
"  But  this  is  not  the  case."  The  Rev.  Salem  Town,  long 
the  Grand  Chaplain  of  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  this  state, 
whose  book  on  speculative  Masonry  has  been  sanctioned  by 
the  highest  masonic  officers  in  the  country,  expressly  de- 
clares, that  "  our  leading  tenets  are  no  secrets."  And  again, 
"  by  a  full  and  fair  exposition  of  our  great  leading  princi- 
"  pies,  we  betray  no  secrets^  So  have  I  always  held  and 
acted ;  and  I  have  never  been  able  to  repress  a  smile  of 


72  LETTER  Vll. 

contempt,  whenever  I  have  occasionally  seen  the  foohsh 
brethren  putting  on  airs  of  reserve  and  mystery,  and  shak- 
ing their  heads  with  owlish  gravity  and  wisdom,  if  the  se- 
crets of  Freemasonry  should  by  chance  become  the  theme 
of  inquiry  and  conversation.  In  regard  to  the  grips  and 
pass- words  before  mentioned,  such  have  been  common  with 
many  other  societies.  It  is  so  with  the  celebrated  Tamma- 
ny Society ;  it  has  been  so  until  very  recently,  with  the 
Phi  Beta  Kappa,  a  purely  literary  society ;  and  it  was  so 
with  the  old  and  much-calumniated  Washing^ton  Benevolent 
Society.  Nor  in  either  case,  so  far  as  I  am  informed,  has 
danger  been  apprehended  merely  from  the  secret. 

So  far  as  it  respects  the  secrets  of  the  lodge-room,  in  gen- 
eral, I  have  regarded  them  as  conventional  only — to  be  held 
no  more  sacred  than  the  conversation  at  the  table  of  a  pri- 
vate dinner  party,  which  every  gentleman  is  bound  in  honor 
not  publicly  to  repeat.  It  is  usual  when  a  candidate  is  pro- 
posed for  membership  of  a  lodge,  that  his  habits  and  char- 
acter be  canvassed,  and  it  would  be  disgraceful  to  betray 
the  confidence  of  such  discussions.  In  like  manner,  it  would 
be  a  violation  of  faith,  to  state,  that  such  or  such  a  man  had 
applied  for  membership,  and  been  black-balled.  In  cases  of 
applications  for  charity,  moreover,  it  would  be  alike  dishon- 
orable and  unkind,  to  proclaim  the  names  of  the  petitioners 
upon  the  house-tops.  These  things,  therefore,  are  secrets — 
but  only  conventional  secrets — such  as  most  other  societies, 
and  even  boards  of  bank  directors,  must  necessarily  have, 
as  well  as  churches,  and  presbyteries,  and  synods. 

Secrecy  and  silence  were  qualities  zealously  cultivated,  and 
strictly  enjoined,  by  many  philosophers  of  antiquity;  when 
observed  with  discretion,  and  not  illegally,  they  are  eminent- 
ly conducive  to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  human  society 
— the  grand  conservators  of  well  regulated  social  inter- 
course ; — and  numerous  are  the  occurrences  within  the  ob- 
servation of  us  all,  tending  to  show  that  the  art  of  presort  - 


LETTER  VII.  73 

ing  them  inviolate,  is  often  a  desirable  and  laudable  attain- 
ment. "  A  tale-bearer,"  says  Solomon,  "  revealeth  secrets ; 
"  but  he  that  is  of  a  faithful  spirit  concealeth  them.  Disco- 
"  ver  not  a  secret  to  another,  lest  he  that  heareth  it  put  thee 
"  to  shame,  and  thine  infamy  turn  not  away.  He  that  keep- 
"  eth  his  tongue,  keepeth  his  own  soul."  To  the  same  pur- 
pose we  read  in  the  book  of  Ecclesiasticus :  "  Whoever  dis- 
"covereth  secrets,  shall  nevei*' find  a  friend  to  his  mind. 
"  Love  thy  friend,  and  be  faithful  unto  him  ;  but  if  thou  be- 
"wrayeth  his  secrets  follow  no  more  after  him:  for  as  a 
"  man  hath  destroyed  his  enemy,  so  hast  thou  lost  the  love 
"  of  thy  neighbor.  As  for  a  wound,  it  may  be  bound  up ; 
"  and  after  reviling,  there  may  be  reconcilement :  but  he 
"  that  bewrayeth  secrets,  is  without  hope." — These  are  the 
Avords  of  wisdom,  and  my  regard  for  the  secrets  of  the 
lodge-room  had  ever  "  this  extent — no  m.ore." 

The  foregoing  expositions,  like  every  other  contained  in 
these  letters,  have  been  made  with  all  possible  frankness 
and  sincerity ;  and  I  trust,  sir,  that  after  reading  them,  you 
will  do  me  the  justice  to  believe,  that  should  a  brother  Ma- 
son tell  me,  as  a  secret,  that  he  had  robbed  a  store,  I  should 
very  speedily  make  the  matter  public  in  the  police  office  ; 
or,  should  he  say  that  he  had  helped  to  murder  William 
Morgan,  I  should  as  certainly  help  the  civil  authorities  to 
put  him  in  the  way  of  being  hanged.  In  one  word,  sir,  no 
Mason  is  bound  by  any  obligation,  to  keep  the  secrets  of  an 
unworthy  brother  ;  and  whenever  a  Mason,  knowingly  and 
wilfully  and  criminally,  violates  those  restraining  acts  which 
are  necessary  to  secure  the  life,  liberty  and  happiness  of 
the  citizen,  he  becomes  unworthy  of  confidence,  and  the 
obligation  of  secrecy  is  cancelled  by  the  higher  obligation 
which  rests  upon  every  good  man,  to  maintain  the  supre- 
macy OF  THE  LAWS.  Such  is  now,  and  ever  has  been,  my 
construction  of  this  feature  of  the  masonic  obligations  ;  and, 

such,  also,  is  the  construction  of  those  Masons  with  whom  I 

10 


74  LETTER  VII.- 

have  associated  or  conferred.  In  it  you  "will  perceive,  sir, 
that  my  views  are  more  rigid  than  those  laid  down  in  the 
books.  "  A  promise  cannot  be  deemed  unlawful,"  says  Arch- 
deacon Paley,  "  where  it  produces,  when  performed,  no  ef- 
"  feet,  beyond  what  would  have  taken  place,  had  the  pro- 
"  mise  never  been  made."  "  Upon  this  principle,  promises 
"  of  secrecy  ought  not  to  be  violated,  although  the  public 
"  would  derive  advantage  from  the  discovery.  Such  pro- 
"  mises  contain  no  unlawfulness  in  them,  to  destroy  their  ob- 
"  ligation  ;  for,  as  the  information  would  not  have  been 
"  imparted  upon  any  other  condition,  the  public  lose  nothing 
"  by  the  promise,  which  they  would  have  gained  without  it."* 
It  remains,  in  the  present  letter,  that  I  should  ofier  some 
explanations  upon  that  portion  of  the  obligation  supposed  to 
be  taken  in  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  which,  unexplained,  has 
been  considered  so  highly  exceptionable.  That  section,  as 
it  has  been  proved,  judicially,  at  the  west,  reads  as  follows  : 
— "  Furthermore  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  aid 
"  and  assist  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason  when  engaged 
"  in  any  difficulty ;  and  espouse  his  cause  so  far  as  to  extri- 
"  cate  him  from  the  same,  if  in  my  power,  whether  he  be 
"  right  or  wrong.  Also,  that  I  will  promote  a  companion 
"  Royal  Arch  Mason's  political  preferment,  in  preference  to 
**  another  of  equal  qualifications.  Furthermore  do  I  pro- 
"  mise  and  swear,  that  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason's 
"  secrets,  given  me  in  charge  as  such,  and  I  knowing  them 
"  to  be  such,  shall  remain  as  secure  and,  inviolable  in  my 
"  breast  as  in  his  own,  murder  and  treason  not  excepted.^^ 
First  and  foremost  I  have  to  remark,  upon  the  passage  here 
quoted,  and  which  has  so  justly  called  forth  a  large  measure 
of  the  public  indignation,  that  the  pledge  in  favor  of  the  po- 
litical preferment  of  a  companion,  and  the  words  "  %o^,"  in 
tiie  italicised  passage,  are  infamous  interpolations.  The 
obligation  has  never  been  so  given,  within  the  range  of  my 

*  Moral  Phi.  chap.  v. — of  Promises. 


LETTER  VII.  75 

masonic  experience,  and  is  not  so  sanctioned  or  allowed  by 
the  Grand  Chapter,  having  jurisdiction  in  the  premises. 
Nor  have  I,  as  yet,  found  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  v^'^ho  recol- 
lects ever  to  have  heard  the  obligation  so  given.  The  po- 
litical interpolation,  either  in  this,  or  the  third  degree,  has 
been  traced  to  Vermont,  whence  it  was  brought  into  this 
state  by  a  gentleman  who  has  occupied  an  exalted  office  in 
this  state,  and  who  now  holds  a  seat  in  congress.  As  to 
the  other,  and  more  heinous  alteration,  I  know  not  whence 
it  came  ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  of  its  having  been  so  given 
of  late  in  the  western  region  of  New- York.  But  the  fact 
was  not  known  among  the  brethren  in  this  quarter,  until 
long  after  the  Morgan  outrage  began  to  be  looked  upon  as 
a  reahty.  Still,  the  circumstance  that  this  one  obligation 
has  been  so  essentially  altered — how  much  you  can  readily 
perceive,  on  comparing  the  form  of  which  I  am  speaking, 
with  the  old  manuscript  form,  to  which  I  have  already  re- 
ferred you — is  a  very  strong  argument  against  the  longer 
existence  of  the  institution.  Nor  am  I  certain  that  other 
alterations  may  not  have  been  made  at  the  west,  which  are 
yet  undisclosed ;  for  I  have  been  informed  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  series  of  letters,  that  some  time 
prior  to  the  Morgan  outrage,  a  western  Mason  came  to 
this  city,  and  lingered  about  the  lodge-rooms  several  weeks, 
with  sundry  additions  to  the  whole  series  of  obligations, 
which  he  stated  it  to  be  the  wish  of  the  western  brethren 
to  have  introduced  into  the  system.  The  professed  object 
was,  to  bind  the  Masons  together  with  a  stronger  tie,  and 
also  to  render  a  disclosure  of  the  secrets  a  more  difficult — if 
iiot  a  more  dangerous,  matter.  His  propositions  were 
promptly  rejected,  and  he  returned  somewhat  dissatisfied. 
Whether  the  measure  with  which  he  came  charged  hither, 
was  one  of  precaution,  or  of  preparation,  in  anticipation  of 
what  subsequently  took  place,  I  have  no  means  of  detei;'* 
mining.     My  own  conclusion  is  that  it  was. 


76  LETTER  VII. 

The  clause  respecting  the  inviolability  of  secrets,  repeated 
in  the  passage  above  quoted,  and  also  in  the  two  preceding 
obligations,  having  already  been  discussed,  it  only  remains 
that  I  note  the  explanation  respecting  the  obi  igation  to  help 
a  brother  out  of  difficulty,  whether  right  or  wrong.  The 
allegation  respecting  this  feature  of  the  obligation,  is,  that  Ma- 
sons are  bound  by  it  to  rescac  one  another  from  the  officers 
and  ministers  of  the  law  ;  that  if  a  Mason  is  involved  even 
in  legal  difficulties,  his  brethren  are  bound  by  their  solemn 
oaths,  to  help  him  out — "  right  or  wrong. ^^  If  he  is  in  the 
custody  of  an  officer,  he  is  to  be  rescued — if  arraigned  at  the 
bar,  he  is  to  be  acquitted.  It  is  not  so — nor  is  there  even 
the  semblance  of  truth  in  the  charge.  The  interpretation 
invariably  given  to  the  candidate  upon  this  point,  is  simply 
this  : — That  if  you  find  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
difficulty,  or  in  such  danger  as  to  peril  his  life,  you  are  to 
rush  to  his  assistance,  without  stopping  to  inquire  as  to  who 
was  first  in  the  wrong,  lest  while  you  are  making  the  inqui- 
ry, the  man  might  be  killed.  But  in  all  cases  where  you 
attempt  to  rescue  a  brother,  the  effort  is  to  be  directed  solely 
to  his  personal  safety  for  the  time  being — as  in  case  of  his 
having  been  set  upon  by  a  mob  ;  and  it  is  expressly  charged, 
that  whenever  officers  are  in  pursuit,  or  the  companion 
who  may  have  commanded  assistance  by  the  sign  of  dis- 
tress, is  charged  with  any  offence,  in  all  cases,  he  is  to  be 
hanjied  over  in  safety  to  the  custody  of  the  civil  authorities. 
Such,  I  repeat,  is  the  charge  invariably  given  in  every  pro- 
perly regulated  chapter,  upon  this  feature  of  the  obligation ; 
and  it  would  require  a  degree  of  stupidity  not  often  found, 
so  far  to  misunderstand  such  an  explanation,  as  to  warrant 
the  construction  that  has  been  given  to  the  passage. 

But,  sir,  I  do  not  desire  to  leave  the  fact  resting  upon  my 
own  individual  assertion,  that  a  Mason  is  bound,  in  all  ca- 
ses, to  yield  a  full,  unqualified,  and  implicit  obedience  to  the 
laws.     This  truth  is  explicitly  asserted  and  maintained  in 


LETTER  VII.  77 

the  established  formularies.  I  have  already  mentioned  that, 
on  taking  the  first  obligation,  the  candidate  is  so  instructed 
by  the  master ;  and  that  instruction,  or  explanation,  is  en- 
joined upon  him  with  each  successive  degree  as  he  advan- 
ces, until  it  would  seem  impossible  that  he  should  forget  it. 
In  the  charge,  moreover,  on  the  first  degree,  the  candidate 
is  told  : — "  In  the  state,  you  are  to  he  a  quiet  and  peaceful 

"  subject,  TRUE  TO  YOUR  GOVERNMENT,  and  JUST  TO  YOUR 
"  COUNTRY  ;  YOU  ARE  NOT  TO  COUNTENANCE  DISLOYALTY  OR 

"  REBELLION,  but  patient!?/  submit  to  legal  authority, 
*^  and  confoj^m  with  chee>^fubiess  to  the  government  op 
"  the  country  in  which  you  live.  In  your  outw  ard  de- 
"  meanor  be  particularly  careful  to  avoid  censure  or  re- 
"  proach.  Let  not  interest,  favor,  or  prejudice,  bias  your 
*'  integrity,  or  influence  you  to  be  guilty  of  a  dishonorable 
^*  action."  But  even  this  is  not  all.  When  the  master-elect 
of  a  lodge,  is  installed  into  his  ofiice,  he  receives  a  solemn 
charge  from  the  Grand  Master,  of^which  the  folloAving  are 
the  first  four  items  : — "  1st.  You  agree  to  be  a  good  man 
*'  and  true,  and  strictly  to  obey  the  moral  law.  2d. 
"  You  agree  to  be  a  peaceable  subject,  and  cheerfully  to 

"  CONFOR3I  TO  THE    LAWS  OF    THE   COUNTRY    l?^    W  HICH    YOU 

*'  RESIDE.  3d.  You  promise  not  to  he  concerned  in  plots  and 
"  conspiracies  against  government,  but  patiently  submit 

«  TO  THE    DECISIONS    OF   THE   SUPREME    LEGISLATURE.       4th. 

*'  You  agree  to  pay  a  proper  respect  to  the  civil  magistrate, 
"  to  work  diligently,  live  creditably,  and  act  honorably  by 
"  all  men." 

Upon  these  facts  and  e^^planations,  I  confidently  rest  the 
case,  v/ith  respect  to  the  points  discussed  in  the  present  let- 
ter. And  I  do  appeal,  with  some  confidence,  to  you,  sir, 
and  all  others  v/ho  may  chance  to  look  upon  these  sheets, 
to  admit,  v/hether  I  have  not  successfully  repelled  the  pre- 
vailing idea,  that  because  a  man  has  taken  the  masonic  ob- 
ligations, he  is  necessarily  bound  by  those  fearful  oaths,  in 


78  LETTER  VII. 

certain  emergencies,  to  resist  the  laws,  to  conceal  the  most 
guilty  secrets,  to  shield  evil-doers  from  justice, — nay,  more, 
to  participate  in  the  foulest  crimes  himself !  I  am  not  dis- 
posed to  deny — and  if  I  should  do  so,  the  truth  would  not 
sustain  me — that  the  Masons  have  taken  a  series  of  oaths — 
more  or  less,  according  to  the  progress  they  have  made — 
of  appalling  and  startling  import  to  those  who  hear  or  read 
them  unexplained ;  but  I  do  solemnly  affirm,  that,  with  the 
explanations  and  reservations  with  which  they  have  been 
taken  by  intelligent  and  virtuous  men,  so  far  as  my  observa- 
tion has  extended,  they  contain  nothing  which  needs  lie  op- 
pressively on  the  conscience  of  any  man.  Whatever  may 
be  the  cumbrous  phraseology  with  which  they  have  descend- 
ed to  us,  they  are  taken  as  being  in  strict  subordination  to  the 
government  and  the  laws,  both  of  God  and  man.  The  Holy 
Bible  is  solemnly  received  as  the  rule  and  guide  of  the 
Mason's  faith  and  practice — and  he  pledges  himself  to 
obey  the  moral  law,  v/hich  is  summarily  comprehended  in 
the  ten  commandments.  Are  we,  then,  to  be  told,  that  obli- 
gations taken  subordinately  to  these  pledges,  require  us  to 
bear  false-witness,  and  to  commit  murder  ?  The  candidate 
is  solemnly  charged  to  discountenance  disloyalty  and  re- 
bellion— not  to  be  concerned  in  plots  and  conspiracies — 
but  cheerfully  to  conform  to  the  laws,  and  the  govern- 
ment, wherever  he  may  reside,  and  in  all  cases  to  submit 
to  the  civil  authorities  ;^ — and  are  we  yet  to  be  told  that  we 
arc  to  KEEP  the  secrets  of  murderers  and  traitors,  and 
rescue  prisoners  from  those  very  civil  authorities  ? 
And  yet  the  public  has  been  over  and  over  again  assured, 
by  certain  fanatical  prints — for  fanaticism,  and  prejudice, 
and  obstinacy,  in  this  matter,  unfortunately  exist  on  both 
sides — that  the  culprits  who  have  undergone  the  penalty  of 
the  law,  or  who  are  yet  in  durance  vile,  for  their  concern 
in  the  Morgan  business,  are  merely  undergoing  the  penalty 
of  the  civil,  for  their  obedience  to  the  masonic  law  !     I 


LETTER  VII.  79 

trust  I  need  waste  no  more  words  in  repelling  the  odious 
imputation. 

Upon  the  subject  of  the  masonic  obligations  generally, 
the  same  candor  which  shall  govern,  throughout,  these  dis- 
sertations, obliges  me  to  confess,  that  I  do  not  consider  them 
by  any  means  free  from  objections,  even  were  they  never  to 
be  imposed  upon  any  person  incapable  of  correctly  under- 
standing them.  Aside  from  the  sound  objections  which  ex- 
ist against  all  extra-judicial  oaths,  they  are  unnecessarily 
prolix,  and  indefensibly  puerile.  Indeed,  long  before  the 
Morgan  affair,  I  have  more  than  once  held  conversations 
with  some  of  the  high  masonic  officers,  in  regard  to  the 
propriety  and  expediency  of  a  thorough  revision  of  those 
obligations,  with  a  view  of  expurgating  them  of  their  un- 
seemly verbiage,  and  unmeaning  penalties.*  And  but  for 
the  consideration  that  these  proposed  innovations  would  so 
far  have  removed  the  landmarks  of  the  order  as  to  destroy 
the  universality  of  the  language  of  the  craft,  and  thereby 
render  the  institution  useless  to  those  brethren  travelling 
abroad,  or  to  those,  who,  by  sickness,  or  other  misfortunes, 
might  find  it  necessary  to  appeal,  when  from  home,  to  dis- 
tant lodges,  for  assistance,  1  believe  the  proposition  would 
have  been  favorably  entertained. 

The  penalties  mentioned  in  the  several  obligations,  I  have 
pronounced  "  unmeaning."  So  they  must  always  have 
been  ;  for  it  is  not  pretended  that  the  duty  of  inflicting  them 
is  any  where  prescribed  to  any  officer  or  member  of  the 
fraternity ;  and  certainly  the  candidate  could  never  inffict 
the  whole  of  any  one  penalty  upon  himself.  Any  one,  moreo- 
ver, who  should  attempt  the  execution  of  the  sentence,  would 
alike  violate  the  laws  of  God  and  man,  to  observe  which  he 
is  under  a  yet  stronger  pledge  than  the  masonic  obligation. 

*  In  the  year  1730,  when  Pritchard  made  the  first  disclosure  of  the  se- 
crets of  Masonry,  there  were  but  three  degrees,  and  but  one  obHgation  for 
the  whole  three,  which  was  short,  and  comparatively  inoffensive.  Vide  Ap- 
pendix O, 


80  LETTER  VIU 

The  truth  is,  that  a  simple  expulsion  from  a  lodge,  or  chap- 
ter, with  a  public  advertisement  of  the  fact,  is  the  only  pen- 
alty, for  any  oflence,  which  the  Masons,  previously  to  the 
Morgan  outrage,  have  ever,  to  my  knowledge,  considered 
themselves  authorized  to  inflict.  As  an  illustration  of 
this  assertion,  1  may  perhaps  be  excused  for  stating  a  case 
in  point.  No  longer  ago  than  the  year  1824, — only  two 
years  before  the  Morgan  outrage — I  myself  introduced  a 
resolution  into  the  Grand  Chapter,  requiring  the  High 
Priest  of  a  subordinate  chapter  to  show  cause  why  he  should 
not  be  expelled.  The  accusation  w^as  the  same  as  that  for 
which  Morgan  died,  viz :  the  writing  and  revealing  of  ma- 
sonic secrets.  The  charge  was  investigated,  and  he  was 
expelled.  He  is  yet  a  living  witness  that  his  throat  was  not 
cut  across,  nor  liis  tongue  torn  out  by  the  roots,  nor  his  body 
buried  in  the  rough  sands  of  the  sea.  I  am  warranted, 
therefore,  in  predicating  of  the  penalty,  that  it  is  as  unmean- 
ing as  it  certainly  is  ridiculous. 

But  these  oaths  are  all  wrong.  Whatever  miglit  have 
been  the  fact  at  the  time  of  their  origin,  they  are  now  in 
exceedingly  bad  taste.  The  time  may  possibly  have  been, 
when  some  strong  bond  of  union  was  necessary  for  the  safe 
enjoyment  of  free  political  and  social  intercourse.  But 
such  is  not  the  case  now — especially  in  these  United  States. 
In  like  manner,  the  time  may  have  been,  in  the  ruder  ages 
of  man,  when  oaths  were  necessary  for  compelling  the  ob- 
servance of  the  moral  duties.  But  it  is  not  now  the  fact. 
Perhaps,  also,  oaths  may  once  have  been  necessary  to  en- 
force the  exercise  of  the  charities  of  life— ^although  charities 
thus  extorted,  would  indeed  be  a  frigid  bounty.  But  chari- 
ty, in  the  present  day,  requires  no  such  enforcement.  There 
is,  however,  a  still  higher  reason  why  these  oaths  should  be 
discarded  and  abjured :  it  is  the  divine  injunction  already 
quoted— SWEAR  NOT  AT  ALL. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant. 


XiETTER  VIII.  81 

LETTER    VIII. 

New- York,  Dec.  20,  1831. 
Sir, 

In  no  one  particular,  probably,  have  the  votaries  of  spe- 
culative Masonry  been  more  actively  assailed,  or  with  great- 
er justice,  in  the  estimation  of  the  world,  than  in  regard  to 
the  high  antiquity  which  they  claim  for  the  order.  The 
ridicule  which  the  institution  has  been  obliged  to  encounter 
in  this  respect,  more  frequently  just  than  unjust,  has  arisen 
from  various  causes.  Of  these,  the  love  of  antiquity  may 
be  cited  as  first.  Notwithstanding  the  frequent  boasts  of 
republicanism,  that  its  citizens  are  free  from  the  pride  of  an- 
cestry, and  that  no  man  can  "borrow  merit  from  the  dead — 
"  himself  an  undeserver" — and  consequently  that  every  man 
must  be  the  architect  of  his  own  character  and  fortunes ; 
still,  the  mind  delights  in  looking  back  through  the  dim  and 
mellow  light  of  antiquity,  for  examples  of  w^isdom  and  know- 
ledge, and  valor.  And  I  honestly  believe  that  the  sturdiest 
republican  amongst  us,  would  not  think  more  meanly  of 
himself,  should  he  be  told  of  the  existence  of  proofs  in  the 
herald's  office,  that  he  was  lineally  descended  from  the  Tal^ 
bots,  or  the  Howards  ;  from  the  Black  Prince,  or  John  of 
Gaunt.  So  with  the  Masons  ;  their  institution  becomes 
more  hallowed  in  their  eyes,  in  proportion  to  the  fancied 
remoteness  of  its  origin.  Another,  and  perhaps  a  still  more 
efficient  cause  of  the  idle  and  preposterous  claims  to  anti- 
quity, put  forth  by  the  Masons,  is  found  in  the  ignorance 
and  credulity  of  a  large  portion  of  the  brotherhood,  who 
have  mistaken  the  assertions  of  masonic  lecturers,  touching 
the.  immemorial  existence  of  what  they  choose  to  call  the 

11 


82  LETTER  VIII. 

principles  of  Mas6nry,  for  the  institution  of  Masonry  itself 
as  at  present  organized  into  lodges  and  chapters !  I  cannot 
but  confess,  moreover,  that  the  manner  in  which  the  writers 
of  the  masonic  rituals  have  spoken  of  their  claims  to  very 
remote  antiquity,  has  been  peculiarly  well  calculated  to  fos- 
ter and  strengthen  the  delusion,  among  uneducated  men, 
possessing  neither  the  time,  nor  the  means,  for  adequate 
investigation. 

,  Of  all  books  to  try  the  patience,  and  excite  the  disgust, 
of  a  sensible  and  intelligent  reader,  I  would  prescribe  the 
earlier  masonic  historians.  The  wretched  absurdities,  and 
the  clumsy  misrepresentations, 'with  which  they  abound,^ 
would  scarcely  be  credited  by  a  person  who  has  never  ex- 
amined them,  were  the  half  to  be  told.  The  first  of  these 
writers,  was  James  Anderson,  D.  D.,  whose  book  of  Mason- 
ic Constitutions,  prefaced  by  a  history  of  Masonry,  "  col- 
"  lected  and  digested  by  order  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  Lon- 
"  don,  from  the  old  records,  faithful  traditions,  and  lodge 
"  books,"  was  published  in  1723.  It  was  revised,  continued, 
and  enlarged,  by  John  Entick,  M.  A.,  and  published  under 
the  sanction  of  a  committee  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  1756. 
I  have  a  copy  of  that  edition  now  before  me ;  and,  by  your 
permission,  will  illustrate  the  justness  of  the  character  be- 
stowed above  upon  these  histories.  It  is  proper  here  to 
premise,  that,  in  its  ancient  history,  Masonry  is  used  in  a 
sense  equivalent  to  the  liberal  sciences,  but  particularly 
OEOMETHY — and  vice  versa.  Upon  this  assumption,  the 
early  masonic  history  dates  the  commencement  of  the  mason- 
ic institution,  with  the  beginning  of  time,  and  begins  its 
liistory  with  the  work  of  creation.  With  these  explanations, 
I  proceed  to  cite  a  few  passages  fiom  Anderson  and  En- 
tick  :— 

"  All  things  necessary  for  man's  felicity  were  perfected 
•'  by  the  Architect  and  Grand  Master  of  the  Universes 
*'  according  to  geometry.  &:c." 


LETTER  VIII.  83 

"  How  Adam  exercised  himself  in  that  noble  science,  in 
^  his  paradisaical  state,  does  not  certainly  appear,"  but,  "we 
"  cannot  in  any  wise  suppose  him  to  have  been  ignorant  of 
"  the  liberal  sciences,  much  less  of  geometry." 

"  Adam  instructed  his  descendants  in  geometry,  and  the 
"  application  of  it  to  whatsoever  crafts  were  convenient  for 
"  those  early  times." 

"  Cain,  with  his  family  and  adherents,  being  expelled 
"  from  Adam's  altars,  and  pre-instructed  in  the  principles 
"  of  geometry  and  architecture,  forthwith  built  a  strong 
"  city,  &c.  ;  and  called  it  Dedicate,  or  Consecrate,  after  the 
"  name  of  his  eldest  son  Enoch  ;  whose  race,  following  his 
"  example,  improved  themselves,  not  only  in  geometry  and 
^^  Masonry,  but  made  discoveries  of  several  other  useful 
^*  arts,"  &c.* 

"  The  descendants  of  Seth  came  nothing  behind  those  of 
*'  Cain,  in  the  cultivation  of  geometry  and  Masonry :  this 
*'  patriarch  greatly  profited  in  those  noble  sciences,  under 
"  the  continual  tuition  of  Adam,  with  whom  he  lived  till  the 
"  year  of  the  world  930,  and  succeeded  him  then  in  the 
*^  grand  direction  of  the  craft ;  who,  as  a  monument  of  his 
"  superior  abilities,  and  love  to  posterity,  foreseeing  the  uni- 
"  versal  desolation  which  would  happen  by  fire  and  water, 
"  and  deprive  mankind  of  those  arts  and  sciences  already 
*'  improved,  raised  two  huge  pillars,  one  of  brick,  the  other 
"  of  stone,  and  inscribed  thereon  an  abridgement  of  the  arts 
"  and  sciences,  particularly  geometry  and  Masonry,  that  if 
"  the  pillar  of  brick  happened  to  be  overthrown  by  the  flood, 
"  that  of  stone  might  remain ;  which  Josephus  tells  us  was 

*  The  readiness  to  receive  Cain  into  the  masonic  brotherhood,  certainly 
fihows  a  catholic  fcehnjT  amongst  them.  If  it  were  not  in  all  respects  too 
grave  and  solemn  a  subject  for  a  jest,  we  might  question  Cain's  title  to  the 
distinction,  unless  it  were  on  account  of  having  Morganised  his  brother 
Abel  J 


84  ,  LETTER  Vm. 

"  to  be  seen  in  his  time,  in  the  land  of  Siriad,  by  the  name- 
"  of  Seth's,  or  Enoch's  pillars."* 

The  world  becoming  wicked — "  Methuselah,  with  his  son 
"Lamech,  and  grandson  Noah,  retired  from  the  corrupt 
"world,  and  in  their  own  peculiar  family  preserved  the 
"  good  old  religion  of  the  promised  Messiah  pure,  and  also 
"  the  royal  art  [of  Masonry,]  till  the  flood." 

The  ark  is  built,  according  to  the  principles  of  Masonry, 
and  Noah,  his  family  and  the  cargo  are  housed  therein,  when 
we  learn  that — "  From  these  Masons,  or  four  grand  officers, 
"  (Noah  and  his  sons,)  the  whole  present  race  of  mankind 
"are  descended." 

"  Being  all  of  one  language  and  speech,  it  came  to  pass 
"  as  they  journied  from  the  east  towards  the  west^  they 
"  found  a  plain  in  the  land  of  Shinaar,  and  dwelt  there  to- 
"  gether,  as  Noachidce,  or  sons  of  Noah— the  first  name  of 
''Masons" 

The  tower  of  Babel  is  built ;  an  observatory  on  the  top 
of  it ;  the  language  of  the  builders  is  confounded  ; — and  the 
people  dispersed — "  All  which  shows,  that,  after  the  disper- 
"  sion,  they  still  carried  with  them  the  knowledge  of  Ma- 
"  sonry,  and  improved  it  to  a  great  degree  of  perfection." 

"  Nimrod,  or  Belus,  the  son  of  Cush,  the  eldest  son  of 
"  Ham,  and  founder  of  the  Babylonian  monarchy,  kept  pos- 
"  session  of  the  plain,  and  founded  the  first  great  empire,  at 
"  Babylon,  and  became  Grand  Master  of  all  Masons,  after 
"  the  general  migration." 

*  This  legend  of  the^asonic  writers,  continues  to  bo  cherished  to  this 
day,  by  all  the  faithful.  But  in  citing  Josephus,  Anderson,  and  his  long 
train  of  followers,  forget  to  quote  the  comment  of  Dr.  Whiston,  the  learned 
translator  of  the  Jewish  historian,  upon  the  passage  respecting  the  pillars  in 
question,  wherein,  to  say  nothing  of  the  absurdity  of  the  supposition,  that 
the  fabled  pillars  could  have  been  discovered  after  the  fountains  of  the  great 
deep  had  been  so  effectually  broken  up,  it  very  satisfactorily  appears  that 
Josephus  mistook  Seth  or  Sesostris,  kmg  of  Egypt,  who  is  supposed  to  have 
erected  the  pillars  referred  to,  for  Seth  the  son  of  Adam. 


LETTER  VIII.  85 

"  From  Shinaar,  the  science  and  the  art  were  carried  to 
"  distant  parts  of  the  earth,  notwithstanding  the  confusion 
"  of  dialects,  which  gave  rise  to  the  MasorCs  faculty,  and 
"  universal  practice  of  conversing  without  speaking,  and  of 
"  knowing  each  other  by  signs  and  tokens." 

"  Mizraim,  or  Menes,  the  second  son  of  Ham,  carried  to, 
"  and  preserved  in,  Egypt,  their  original  skill,  and  much  cul- 
"  tivatcd  the  ar^."  And — "  The  successors  of  Mizraim, 
"  who  styled  themselves  the  sons  of  ancient  kings,  encoura- 
*'  ged  the  royal  art,  down  to  the  last  of  their  race,  the  learned 
"king  Amasis." 

"  The  history  fails  in  the  south  and  west  of  Africa  !"  and 
the  posterity  of  Japhet,  scattering  off'  to  Scythia,  Norway, 
Gaul,  Britain,  and  America,  lost  the  art — careless  fellows  that 
they  were ! 

But — "  The  offspring  of  Shem  propagated  the  science  and 
"  the  art,  as  far  as  China  and  Japan." 

^'  Abraham,  born  two  years  after  the  death  of  Noah,  had 
"  learned  well  the  science  and  the  art,  before  the  God  of  Glory 
"  called  him  to  travel  from  Ur,  of  the  Chaldees,"  and  "  He 
"  communicated  his  great  skill  to  the  Canaanites,  for  which 
"they  honored  him  as  a  prince." 

Isaac,  Ishmael  and  Jacob,  of  course,  were  taught  the  sci- 
ence by  their  fathers.  Joseph  was  so  well  instructed  by  his 
father,  "  that  he  excelled  the  Egyptian  Masons  in  knowledge, 
"  and  was  installed  their  Grand  Master,  by  the  command  of 
"  Pharaoh." 

"  Ancient  Masonry  recognises  Melchizedeck,  as  one  of 
"  its  most  venerable  patrons  !"* 

~  *  If  any  thing  could  add  to  the  folly  of  this  pretension,  it  might  be  found 
in  the  fact,  that  it  is  not  known  by  mortal  man  who  Melchizedeck  was. 
Some  believe  him  to  have  been  Christ,  or  the  Holy  Ghost.  Moses  and 
Paul  speak  of  him  as  a  man  ;  but  all  we  are  told  of  him  is,  that  he  was  king 
of  Salem,  and  priest  of  the  Most  High  God.  The  Jews  and  Samaritans 
will  have  liim  to  be  Shem,  their  ancestor.  The  Arabians  insist  that  he  was 
a  grand-son  of  Shem.  Jurieu  says  he  was  Ham;  and  Dr  Owen  claims  him 
a^  a  descendant  of  J apbeth.    He  was  a  Mason,  no  doubt ! 


86  LETTER  VIH. 

The  Israelites  practised  but  little  Masonry  in  Egypt, 
until  "  they  were  trained  up"  to  the  building  of  two  cities 
with  stone  and  hrick,  for  the  Egyptians,  "  in  order  to  make 
"  them  expert  Masons,  before  they  possessed  the  promised 
«  land." 

"  In  their  peregrination  through  Arabia  to  Canaan,  God 
"  was  pleased  to  inspire  their  Grand  Master,  Moses,  Joshua, 
"his  Deputy  G.  M.,  and  Aholiab,  and  Bezaleel,  Grand 
"  Wardens,  with  wisdom  of  heart,"  &c.  to  build  the  taber- 
nacle, &c. 

"  Moses  excelled  all  Grand  Masters  before  him."  He 
"  ordered  the  more  skillful  to  meet  him,  as  in  a  grand 
"  lodge,  near  the  tabernacle,  in  the  passover  week,  and 
"  gave  them  wise  charges,  regulations,  (fee,  though  the  tra- 
"  dition  thereof  has  not  been  transmitted  down  to  us  so 
"  perfect  as  might  have  been  wished." 

"  Joshua  succeeded  in  the  direction,  with  Kaleb,  his  De- 
^^puty,  and  Eleazer,  the  High  Priest,  and  Phineas  his  son, 
" as  Grand  Wardens" 

After  the  conquest  and  settlement  of  the  promised  land — 
"  The  Israelites  made  a  prodigious  progress  in  the  study  of 
"  geometry  and  architecture,  having  many  expert  artists,  in 
**  every  tribe  that  met  in  lodges,  or  societies  for  that  pur- 
"  pose,"  &:c. 

"  The  city  of  Tyre,  Sor,  or  Tsor,  was  built  by  a  great 
"  body  of  Sidonian  Masons,  from  Gabala,  under  their  Grand 
"  Master,  and  proper  princes,"  (fee. 

"  The  Phoenicians  built,  in  a  grand  and  sumptuous  man- 
"  ner,  under  the  direction  of  Sanconiathon,  Grand  Master 
"  of  Masons  in  that  province,  the  famous  temple  of  Da- 
"  gon,  at  Gaza,  and  artfully  supported  it  by  two  slender 
"  columns,  not  too  big  to  be  grasped  in  the  arms  of  Sam- 
"  son,"  &c. 

"  In  after  times  Ahibal,  king  of  Tyre,  repaired  and  beau- 
"  tified  that  city  ;  and  so  did  his  son  Hiram.     Being  himself 


LETTER  VIII.  87 

"  a  Mason y  he  took  the  direction  of  the  craft  upon  himself, 
"  and  became  a  sumptuous  Grand  Master,"  &c. 

"  During  all  this  period,  the  Israelites,  by  their  vicinity  to 
"  the  artists  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  had  great  opportunity  of 
"  cultivating  the  royal  art,  v^^hich  they  failed  not  diligently 
"  to  pursue,  and  at  last  attained  to  a  very  high  perfection, 
"  as  well  in  operative  Masonry,  as  in  the  regularity  and 
"  discipline  of  their  well-formed  lodges,  which,  through 
"all    succeeding  ages,   have    hitherto  suffered   no 

"  CHANGE  !" 

These  quotations  have  been  extended  farther  than  was 
really  necessary  for  the  mere  exhibition  of  the  most  absurd 
and  ridiculous  specimens  of  the  history  of  the  order.  But  hav- 
ing commenced  them,  it  occurred  to  me  that  it  might  per- 
haps contribute  to  the  amusement  of  the  reader  to  be  fur- 
nished with  a  brief  but  genuine  history  of  the  order,  from 
the  moment  when  "  the  fiat  of  light  was  given,"  to  the  time 
of  the  building  of  Solomon's  temple — comprising  the  first 
grand  division  of  the  masonic  annals.  That  portion  of  the 
history,  as  above  given,  may  be  considered  complete,  ex- 
cepting only  the  particular  details  of  the  works  of  the  dis- 
tinguished Masons  mentioned,  such  as  the  building  of  cities, 
towns,  towers,  &c.  ;  for  every  work  of  architecture  and 
sculpture,  during  the  long  range  of  centuries,  from  the  city 
of  Cain,  to  the  temple  of  Solomon,  including  the  ark,  the 
tower  of  Babel,  the  pyramids  and  the  Sphinx,  are  claimed 
as  the  fruits  of  regular  masonic  organization  ! 

Such,  sir,  is  the  early  history  of  Freemasonry,  as  written 
m  our  books  ;  for  although  I  have  in  these  citations,  follow- 
ed Anderson  and  Entick,  yet,  with  unessential  variations  of 
language,  the  substance  is  much  the  same,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  among  all  the  masonic  historians  with  whose 
works  I  am  acquainted,  down  even  to  the  lectures  of  the 
Rev.  Salem  Town,  late  Grand  Chaplain  to  the  Royal  Arch 
Chapter  of  this  state.     Among  the  exceptions  to  which  I 


88  LETTER  VIII. 

refer,  are  Lawrence  Demott,  author  of  the  original  Ahimafl 
Rezon,  who  very  happily  ridicules  these  ancient  pretensions ; 
and  Dr.  Dalcho,  of  whom  I  have  already  spoken  in  a  pre- 
ceding letter. 

Nor  does  this  description  of  history  close  with  the  erec- 
tion of  Solomon's  temple.  The  same  veracious  writers, 
with  all  possible  gravity  and  candor,  discourse  to  us  of  the 
Masonry  of  all  the  principal  oriental  nations  that  rose, 
flourished  and  fell,  from  the  days  of  Solomon,  to  the  decline 
and  fall  of  the  Roman  empire.  David,  we  are  assured, 
was  the  last  distinguished  patron  of  the  ancient  masonic 
principle,  previously  to  the  regular  reorganization  of  the 
institution  at  the  building  of  the  temple.  Solomon's  Ma- 
sons rapidly  dispersed  themselves  over  the  whole  civilized 
world,  carrying  with  them,  in  all  directions,  the  lights  and 
blessings  of  the  order  :  and  from  this  period,  to  the  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  and  indeed  long  afterwards,  the  kings  and 
priests,  the  nobles,  and  mighty  men  of  the  earth,  are  spoken 
of  as  Masons  and  Grand  Masters,  with  as  much  familiarity, 
and  with  as  little  doubt  or  hesitancy,  as  we  refer  to  the 
events  of  cotemporaneous  history.  We  are  told  that  all 
the  Jewish  kings  of  David's  lineage,  were  Grand  Masters  ; 
all  the  High  Priests  were  Masons ;  "  Zerubbabel,  and 
"  Joshua  the  High  Priest,  and  Haggai,  the  prophet,  were 
**  skilled  in  ancient  Masonry,  and  very  distinguished  patrons 
^  of  the  craft."  We  are  told  of  Grand  Master  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, and  Grand  Master  Seleucus  Nicanor ;  Grand  Master 
Cyrus  and  Grand  Master  Cambyses  ;  Grand  Master  Ptolo- 
my  Philadclphus,  (whose  son  was  the  last  grand  officer  in 
Egypt ;)  Grand  Master  Julius  Coesar,  and  Grand  Mas- 
ter Constantinc.  Alexander,  of  Macedon,  was  expelled 
from  the  order  ;  but  it  is  a  well  established  fact,  that  Ho- 
mer, Zoroaster,  Simonides,  Socrates,  Lycurgus,  Solon,  Py, 
thagoras  and  Plato,  were,  all  very  expert  Masons — they 
having  visited  Egypt,  where  the  lodges  were  (Irst  organic 


LETTER  VllI*  89 

zed  by  Abraham,  and  were  admitted  into  the  sublime  mys- 
teries by  the  Egyptian  priests.  In  short,  it  is  difficuh  to 
conceive  of  pretensions  more  absurd,  or  of  assertions  more 
preposterous,  than  those  which  comprise  the  whole  matter 
of  masonic  history,  until  within  the  last  two  centuries ;  and 
it  is  no  cause  of  marvel,  that  the  uninitiated,  when  they  hear 
these  pretensions  put  gravely  forth  as  facts,  should  treat 
them  as  vain,  idle,  and  ridiculous. 

These  absurdities,  however,  are  not  believed  by  all  the 
initiated.  Many  there  are  who  have  never  heard  of  them  ; 
others  treat  them  with  becoming  contempt ;  w4iile  others 
again,  who  would  claim  Adam  and  Noah,  Job,  Solomon 
and  Daniel,  as  Masons,  if  pressed  upon  the  subject,  would 
explain  their  meaning  to  be,  that  these  ancient  gentlemen 
"  were  Masons  in  their  hearts,"  and  that  all  good  men  are 
Masons.  With  many  Masons,  however,  nothing  more  is 
intended  to  be  conveyed  by  speaking  of  particular  indivi- 
duals as  having  been  Masons  antecedently  to  the  building 
of  Solomon's  temple,  and  the  heathen  philosophers  subse- 
quently, than  that  they  possessed  a  knowledge  of  the  being 
and  existence  of  the  one  only  true  God. 

The  most  sensible  writer  upon  this  subject,  whom  I  have 
consulted,  is  Alexander  Lawrie,  whose  history  of  Freema- 
sonry was  published  in  Edinburgh,  in  1S04.  This  work  is 
written  in  an  attractive  style,  and  bears  evidence  of  exten- 
sive research.  It  was  published,  in  part,  as  an  answer  to 
the  works  of  Barruel  and  Robison.  Rejecting  the  antedilu- 
vian nonsense  of  his  predecessors,  and  much  that  is  post- 
diluvian likewise,  Lawrie  nevertheless  falls  into  the  com- 
mon error  of  confounding  the  operative  stone  masonry  of 
all  ages,  with  the  speculative  Freemasonry  of  modern  times. 
He  believes  that  its  formation  was  gradual,  with  the  pro- 
gress of  civilization  among  the  ancients,  as  the  study  of 
architecture  advanced,  and  men  associated  together  for  im- 
provement ;  but  he  admits  that  the  first,  and  the  only  object 

12 


90  LETTER  Vlll. 

of  the  Masons,  was  the  mutual  communication  of  know- 
ledge connected  with  their  profession  ;  and  that  those  only 
could  gain  admittance  into  the  order,  whose  labors  were 
subsidiary  to  those  of  the  architect.     In   process  of  time, 
the  ambition  of  the  Egyptian  priests  prompted  them  to  seek 
and  procure  admission  into  the  society.     "  When  they  had 
"  accomplished  this  purpose,  they  connected  the  mythology 
*'  of  their  country,  and  the  metaphysical  speculations  con- 
**  cerning  the  nature  of  God,  and  the  condition  of  man,  with 
"  an  association  formed  for  the  exclusive  purpose  of  scienti- 
"  fie  improvement,  and  produced  that  combination  of  science 
"  and  theology,  which,  in  after  ages,  formed  such  a  conspi- 
"  cuous  part  of  the  principles  of  Freemasonry."     Lawrie,  in 
fact,  supposes  Masonry  to  have  originated  in  Egypt;  to 
have  been  transplanted  thence    into  Greece ;  thence  into 
Asia  Minor,  by  the   Ionian  architects ;    and  thence   into 
Palestine,  prior   to   the   building   of  the    temple.     He  of 
course  reads  Freemasonry  in  those  dark  mysteries  of  the 
Egyptian  priests,  from  whom  Moore   has  borrowed  his 
beautiful,  but  impossible  fiction  of  the  Epicurean.     He  also 
discovers  evidences  of  the  order,  in  the   rites  and  ceremo- 
nies, of  the  Eleusinian  mysteries  of  the  Greeks,  and  also  in 
the  organization  and  ceremonies  of  the  Dyonisian  architects. 
The  idea  of  teaching  moral  and  religious  truths  by  sym- 
bols, and  affecting  to  have  high  mysteries  in   charge,  may 
very  likely  have  been  borrowed  by  the  Masons,  from  a 
vague  knowledge    of  those   ancient   mystic  associations. 
Thus,  it  is  asserted,  that  there  are  masonic  hieroglyphics 
and  emblems  etched  upon  the  Egyptian  obelisks.     The  ig- 
norant and  credulous  Mason,  raises  his  eyes  in  wonder  at 
the  intelligence ;  but  the  scholar,  and  the  man  of  science, 
would  reply,  that  if  there  were  indeed  any  such  emblems — 
of  which,  however,  Champollion  has  given  us  no  informa- 
tion— the  Masons  have  doubtless  adopted  them  from  the 
obelisk,  and  not  the  sculptor  from  the  Masons.     Much  cu- 


LETTER  YIIl,  91 

rious  information  respecting  these  ancient  mysteries,  might 
be  brought  within  a  small  compass,  without  travelling  far- 
ther in  the  search  than  the  introduction  of  Rollin — probably 
the  ultima  Thule  of  masonic  investigation  upon  this  point ; 
but  the  transcript  would  only  encumber  these  desultory 
speculations.  So  far  as  my  own  researches  have  extended, 
I  find  nothing  to  sustain  the  masonic  pretension,  that  these 
ancient  mystics  were,  in  any  manner  or  form,  to  be  viewed 
as  cognate  institutions.  Pliny  does  indeed  relate  an  instance 
in  which  it  is  said  that  Anaxarchus,  being  apprehended  by 
somebody,  in  order  to  extort  his  secrets,  bit  his  ow^n  tongue 
in  the  midst,  and  spit  it  in  the  tyranf  s  face  ;  choosing  rather, 
as  the  legend  goes,  to  lose  that  organ  than  to  discover  those 
secrets,  which  he  had  promised  to  conceal.  Possibly  the 
hint  of  one  of  our  unmeaning  masonic  penalties,  may  have 
been  borrowed  from  this  questionable  incident. 

Equally  difficult,  in  my  apprehension,  would  be  the  task 
of  finding  any  verisimilitude  between  Freemasonry  and  the 
mysteries  of  Ceres  and  Proserpine,  which  were  borrow- 
ed from  Egypt,  and  celebrated  with  so  much  strictness  in 
several  of  the  Grecian  states,  particularly  in  Attica.  These 
mysteries  were  held  so  highly  sacred,  that  it  was  believed 
the  neglect  of  them  would  call  down  the  divine  vengeance 
upon  the  offender,  who  vyas  therefore  ignominiously  put  to 
death.  Indeed  the  neglect  of  these  mysteries  was  one  of 
the  charges  Vv^hich  hastened  the  death  of  Socrates.  Accord- 
ing to  the  masonic  writers,  the  christian  fathers,  some  of 
them,  at  least,  have  labored  to  prove  that  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  God  had  been  preserved  by  these  mysteries  ;  and 
Warburton,  after  a  laborious  investigation,  has  arrived  at  a 
similar  conclusion.  His  theory  is,  that  those  mysteries 
consisted  of  scenic  representations,  inculcating  a  belief  in 
the  Deity,  and  a  future  state  of  immortality.  Among  their 
emblems  were  those  of  mortal  life  ;  of  death  ;  and  of 
IMMORTAL  LIFE  ;  and  the  exhibitions  of  these  mysteries,  Aris- 


'92  LETTER  VIII. 

tides  declared  to  be  "  the  most  shocking  and  most  ravishing 
"  representations."  In  the  same  way,  then,  that  Abraham 
and  Melchizedeck  were  Masons — that  is  to  say,  inasmuch 
as  they  possessed  a  knowledge  of  the  Deity,  if  Warburton's 
hypothesis  be  correct, — in  so  far,  and  no  farther,  were  the 
priests  of  Egypt,  and  the  Eleusinians,  Masons.  The  only 
other  coincidence  between  these  mysteries  and  any  thing 
connected  with  Masonry,  exists  in  reference  to  the  Tem- 
plars. With  the  Eleusinian  initiates,  as  the  candidates 
entered  the  temple,  they  purified  themselves  by  washing 
their  hands  in  holy  water,  and  received  as  an  admonition, 
that  they  were  to  come  with  a  mind  pure  and  undefiled, 
without  which  the  cleanliness  of  the  body  would  be  unac- 
ceptable. Certain  questions  w^ere  likewise  propounded  to 
the  candidates,  strange  sights  and  noises  were  seen  and 
heard,  vivid  flashes  of  lightning  blazed  upon  the  eye-balls,. 
and  deafening  peals  of  thunder  broke  upon  the  startled  ear. 
The  modern  Templars  do  not  practise  the  latter  experi- 
ments upon  the  nerves  of  the  candidates.  But  in  the  gloomy 
chamber  of  reflection ;  in  the  solemn  questions  indicated  in  a 
former  letter ;  and  in  the  ablution  in  pure  water,  as  a  testimo- 
ny of  sincerity  and  innocence  ;  we  have  a  coincidence  which 
could  scarcely  have  been  the  result  of  accident.  Still,  the 
similarity  of  course  proves  no  ancient  connexion  between 
the  insatutions,  since  nothing  could  have  been  easier  than 
to  adjust  the  latter  in  some  respects  to  the  facts  related  of 
the  former ;  while  the  designing  pretender  might  very  easily 
flatter  himself;  that  the  existence  of  a  strong  resemblance  in 
the  ceremonies  reported  of  the  one,  and  practised  by  the 
other,  might,  by  the  ignorant,  be  greedily  received  as  proof 
of  regular  succession,  and  the  common  origin  of  both. 

Comparisons  have  been  instituted  by  Lawrie,  and  other 
masonic  writers,  between  the  Kasidean  and  Pythagorean 
fraternities,  and  the  Freemasons  ;  and  very  strenuous  etTorts 
"have  been  made  to  connect  the  order  with  the  christian  era. 


LETTER  VIII.  93 

by  strong  supposed  resemblances  between  the  rites  and  ce- 
remonies of  Masons  and  the  Essenes — a  sect  among  the 
Jews,  the  origin  of  which  is  unknown,  as  well  as  the  etymo- 
logy of  their  name.     They  are  first  mentioned  in  the  book 
of  Maccabees,  about  B.  C.  150  years.     They  lived  in  soli- 
tude, and  had  all  their  possessions  in  common.     Certain 
examinations  preceded  the  admission  of  candidates  to  their 
society.     If  his  life  had  been  exemplary,  and  if,  during  his 
noviciate,  he  appeared  capable  of  curbing  his  conduct,  and 
regulating  his  life  according  to  the  virtuous  and  austere 
maxims  of  their  order,  he  w^as  presented  with  a  white  gar- 
ment, as  an  emblem  of  the  purity  of  his  heart.     A  solemn 
oath  was  then  administered  to  him,  that  he  would  never 
divulge  the  secrets  of  the  order  ;  that  he  would  make  no 
innovations  on  the  doctrines  of  the  society ;  and  that  he 
would  continue  that  honorable  course  of  purity  and  virtue 
which  he  had  commenced.     They  admitted  no  women  into 
the  order,  and  they  had  particular  signs  for  recognizing  each 
other.     So  great  was  the  reserve  of  the  members  of  these 
people,  who  dwelt  along  the  western  coast  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
like  hermits,  that  nothing  of  their  secrets  ever   escaped 
them,  for  which  reason  the  most  learned  have  been  unable 
to  say  in  what  those  secrets  consisted.     Philo   says  they 
sacrificed  no  Hving  creature,  and  that  they  shunned  cities. 
Josephus  says  they  sent  presents  to  the  temple,  but  offered 
no  sacrifices  there.     They  had  purer  ideas  of  God  than  the 
Jews  commonly  entertained,  a  strict  code  of  morals,  and  a 
Pythagorean  manner  of  life.     Instead  of  performing  exter- 
nal rites,  they   devoted  themselves  to   prayer  and  silent 
devotion,  scrupulously  observed  the  sabbath,  were  extreme- 
ly abstinent,  and  liealed  diseases  of  every  kind  by  roots  and 
herbs.     They  rejected  the  subtleties  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees.*     I  have  spoken  of  this  sect  with  greater  mi- 
nuteness than  I  should  otherwise  have  done,  because  of  the 

*  Vide  Ency.  Americana,  Josephus,  Reinhard,  Lawrie. 


94  LETTER  VIII. 

efforts  that  have  been  made  by  writers  upon  the  subject  of 
secret  societies,  especially  of  the  German  schools,  to  identify 
Freemasonry  with  the  Essenes,  and  not  only  this,  but  to 
})rove  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  were  members  of  the  Es- 
sene  mystics,  and  that  it  was  by  means  of  secret  associa- 
tions that  Christianity  was  first  propagated — a  supposition 
which  finds  no  warrant  in  history,  sacred  or  profane.  Some 
of  these  writers  have  contended,  that  Jesus  Christ  himself 
was  connected  with  the  Essenes,  and  others  that  he  was  the 
founder  of  a  secret  society  of  his  own,  and  that  the  Gnos- 
tics, the  Ophites,  the  Basilidians,  and  other  sects  of  mystics, 
were  branches  of  the  society  thus  founded  by  the  Saviour. 
Among  the  most  conspicuous  of  these  writers,  are  Carl 
Leonhard,  Reinhold,  Bahrdt,  and  August  Kestner.  It  is 
affirmed  "  that  the  whole  Mosaic  religion  was  an  initiation 
'•  into  mysteries,  the  principal  forms  and  ceremonies  of 
'•  which  were  borrowed  by  Moses  from  the  secrets  of  the 
"  Egyptians."  This  is  the  system  of  Reinhold,  in  his  work 
upon  Hebrew  mysteries,  and  religious  Freemasonry.  It  is 
Bahrdt,  who  more  particularly  attributes  to  the  Saviour  the 
plan  of  christianizing  the  world  by  means  of  a  secret  socie- 
ty ;  while  Kestner  alledges  it  in  respect  to  the  apostles  and 
the  christian  fathers  of  the  first  century.  He  gives  a  mi- 
nute account  of  the  organization  of  a  secret  and  powerful 
confederacy,  by  Clement,  after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  and 
the  death  of  his  instructors,  Peter  and  Paul,  which  extended 
throughout  the  Roman  empire.  The  design  was  to  advance 
the  sacred  cause  of  Christianity,  by  means  of  the  society, 
the  members  of  which  were  carried  through  the  degrees 
of  a  symbolical  and  mystical  system  of  instruction.  In  aid  of 
the  project,  some  of  the  Clementinian  confederates  are  said, 
by  their  cunning,  to  have  "  purloined  the  records,  and  pri- 
"  vate  books  of  the  so  called  secret  society  of  theologians, 
*'  established  by  John  the  Evangelist ;  and  the  founder  of 
"  the  confederacy  connected  the  consecrating  ritual  of  John's 


LETTER  VIII.  95 

**  mysteries,  with  Jewish  and  heathen  ceremonies  and  mys- 
"  tical  symbols  of  a  masonical  character,  and  thus,  after 
"  estabUshing  a  christian  priesthood,  ordained  a  mysterious 
*'  worship  of  God,  which  was  introduced  by  its  missiona- 
"  ries  and  abettors  into  all  parts  of  the  then  civilized  world.'* 
On  the  martyrdom  of  Clement,  his  society  had  been  ex- 
tended into  almost  every  region,  and  numbered  a  million  of 
adherents.  Domitian  was  aware  of  its  existence,  but  could 
not  touch  it.  Trajan  persecuted  and  put  many  thousands 
of  them  to  death.  But  Hadrian,  being  fond  of  the  mechanic 
arts,  the  members  continued  to  mask  their  societies  under 
the  guise  of  operative  mechanics,  and  thus  secwred  his  fa- 
vor. Antoninus  Pius  guarded  the  confederacy  with  great 
strictness,  politically,  but  favored  them  in  other  respects. 
Marcus  Aurelius  caused  himself  to  be  initiated  into  their 
mysteries,  and  became  their  protector;  Polycarp  was  one 
of  the  spreaders  of  the  society ; — and  Kestner  pretends  to 
trace  it  down,  noting  the  opposition  it  was  from  time  to 
time  fated  to  encounter,  to  the  Montanistic  rebellion,  when 
it  obtained  a  decided  victory. 

Reinhold's  work  was  published  in  1788.  It  was  answer- 
ed by  Eichhorn,  and  several  others,  of  the  orthodox  Ger- 
man schools.  Among  these,  was  the  celebrated  F.  V.  Rein- 
hard,  who,  in  his  last  enlarged  edition  of  the  "  Plan  of  the 
*'  Founder  of  Christianity,"  published  in  1798,  refuted  the 
skeptic  most  decisively.  An  edition  of  this  admirable  work, 
has  lately  been  published  in  this  country,  from  the  revised 
edition  of  Dr.  Heubner,  professor  of  theology  at  Wittem- 
burg.  A  reply  of  much  critical  skill  and  learning,  and  of 
equal  conclusiveness,  to  the  work  of  Bahrdt,  above  mention- 
ed, has  also  been  written  by  professor  H.,  and  inserted  in 
the  appendix  to  Dr.  Reinhard's  "  Plan."  As  this  valuable 
work  is  now  before  the  public,  in  an  English  dress,  it  would 
be  a  waste  of  time  to  add  a  synopsis  of  the  facts  and  argu- 
ments, by  which  these  skeptics  have  all  been  triumphantly 


\ 


96  LETTER  Vlir. 

refuted.  Nothing,  indeed,  can  be  more  absurd,  than  the 
allegation  both  in  respect  to  Moses,  and  Christ,  with  his 
apostles,  and  their  successors.  Those  arguments  were,  in 
a  great  degree,  cabalistic  ;  and  a  hidden  mystery  was 
sought  in  the  language  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  writers  of 
various  sacred  books  and  epistles,  which  would  destroy 
their  simplicity  and  beauty,  and  indeed  their  whole  charac- 
ter as  a  revelation  of  the  simple  word  of  the  Creator  to  his 
creatures.  Notliing  could  have  been  more  foreign  to  the 
plan  of  Christ,  than  the  idea  of  putting  the  hidden  springs  of 
a  secret  society  into  operation,  for  the  execution  of  the  pur- 
poses of  his  glorious  mission.  The  Essenes  were  the  only 
secret  cotemporancous  society  among  the  Jews ;  but  we 
no  where  read  of  his  visiting  the  district  of  country  where 
these  hermits  lived ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  his  whole  life 
was  one  of  unrestrained  frankness,  and  his  labors  were  of 
the  most  public  character.  Wherever  he  went,  he  was 
thronged  by  thousands  ;  he  was  continually  an  object  of  the 
most  jealous  watclifulness  on  the  part  of  the  elders  and 
rulers  of  the  land  ;  and  he  was  only  able  occasionally  to 
steal  away,  under  cover  of  the  mantle  of  night,  into  the 
fields,  for  his  hours  of  solitary  devotion.  But  it  is  idle  to 
pursue  the  subject.  Those  who  believe  with  the  skeptics 
who  thus  audaciously  attempt  to  connect  the  Saviour  with 
societies  of  a  masonic  character,  or  with  any  secret  society 
whatever,  must,  at  the  same  time,  strip  him  of  his  divinity  ; 
for,  like  the  infidel  writers  who  have  attributed  the  mira- 
des  of  Moses  to  necromancy,  so  in  regard  to  Christ — his 
miracles  have,  also,  by  those  who  would  invest  him  with  the 
habiliments  of  Masonry,  been  declared  to  partake  of  the 
same  nature — to  have  been  wrought  by  virtue  of  arts  and 
enchantments,  the  knowledge  of  which  w^as  acquired  hy 
him  during  his  residence  with  his  parents  in  Egypt,  and 
perfected  in  the  secret  societies,  after  his  return  to  Judea  !. 


LETTER  VIII.  97 

If  every  writer  upon  Masonry  had  exercised  the  candor 
Hnd  good  sense  of  Dr.  Dalcho,  the  late  Grand  Master  of 
South  Carohna,  of  whom  I  have  spoken  before,  we  should 
not  have  so  much  cause  of  chagrin,  as  must  be  experienced 
in  wading  through  the  wretched  absurdities  which  are  to 
be  encountered  in  such  investigations  as  the  present.  In 
the  notes  to  an  edition  of  the  Ahiman  Rezon,  published  by 
him,  he  very  candidly  says — "  Neither  Adam,  nor  Nimrod, 
"  nor  Moses,  nor  Joshua,  nor  David,  nor  Solomon,  nor  Hi- 
*'  ram,  nor  St*  John  the  Evangelist,  nor  St.  John  the  Baptist, 
"belonged  to  the  masonic  order.  It  is  unwise  to  assert 
"  more  than  we  can  prove,  and  to  argue  against  probability. 
"  There  is  no  record,  sacred  or  profane,  to  induce  us  to  be- 
"  lieve  that  these  holy  and  distinguished  men  were  Freema- 
"  sons,  and  our  traditions  do  not  go  back  to  their  days.  To 
"  assert  that  they  were  Freemasons,  may  make  tiie  vulgar 
'^  stare,  but  will  rather  excite  the  contempt  than  the  admira- 
"  tion  of  the  wise.  Let  Freemasons,  then,  give  up  their  vain 
"  boastings,  which  ignorance  has  foisted  into  the  order,  and 
"  relinquish  a  fabulous  antiquity,  rather  than  sacrifice  com- 
"mon  sense."  In  another  place,  the  same  reverend  and 
judicious  Grand  Master,  speaking  of  the  festival  days  of  the 
two  St.  Johns,  remarks : — ^"  Why  either  of  them  should  liave 
"  been  chosen  in  preference  to  any  other  day,  is,  perhaps, 
"  difficult  to  explain.  I  know  of  no  connexion  between 
*'  these  eminent  servants  of  God,  and  the  Freemasons.  I 
"  now  write  as  a  minister  of  the  God,  to  whose  honor  and 
"  glory  my  life  is  devoted,  and  to  whom  I  must,  ere  long, 
*^  give  an  account  of  my  stewardship.  I  tliink  I  run  no  haz- 
"  ard  of  contradiction,  in  saying,  that  if  these  most  holy  men 
"  were  now  permitted  to  revisit  the  earth,  they  would  great- 
"  ly  wonder  at  finding  their  names  enrolled  as  patrons  of 
"  an  institution  of  which  they  had  never  heard  ;  and  ther^ 
**  can  be  no  question  of  the  fact,  that  if  they  were  now  to 

'•  apply  for  admission  into  any  of  our  lodges,  thev  would  b6 

13 


98  LETTER  IX. 

«  Utterly  incapable  of  working  their  way  in."  'lliese  are 
plain  truths,  to  which  every  enlightened  Mason,  if  he  speaks 
truly,  will  respond  "  Amen." 

With  liigh  consideration,  I  am,  &c. 


LETTER   IX. 

New- York,  Jan.  8,  183^. 
Sir, 

In  regard  to  the  antiquity  of  Freemasonry  proper, — I 
mean  as  it  has  descended  to  us  from  the  English,  for  I  deny 
that  it  has  any  affinity  or  relationship  with  the  infidel  asso- 
ciations of  France,  of  any  degree,  whatever  agency  the 
Duke  of  Orleans  may  have  had  in  commissioning  a  messen- 
ger to  bring  it  hither, — it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  arrive  at 
any  satisfactory  result.  All  its  histories  are,  comparatively, 
of  modern  date,  although  they  plunge  deep  into  the  twilight 
of  antiquity,  with  as  much  boldness  as  though  they  had  the 
whole  Alexandrian  library  to  cite  as  authorities.  This  ab- 
sence of  unwritten  early  history,  is  ascribed  to  an  irrepara- 
ble loss  sustained  by  the  lodges  in  1720,  by  the  burning  of 
the  ancient  records  of  the  order,  together  with  a  learned 
and  elaborate  historical  treatise  by  Nicholas  Stone,  a  curi- 
ous sculptor  of  tliat  day.  These  records  were  burnt  by  the 
over  scrupulous  members  of  the  order,  who,  alarmed  by  the 
publication  of  constitutions,  and  the  formularies  of  the  craft, 
feared  that  other  disclosures,  jeoparding  the  existence  of  the 
society,  might  follow.  In  more  modern  times,  as  will  by 
and  bye  appear,  it  might  have  been  my  unhappy  name- 
sake, and  not  the  manuscripts,  that  would  have  been  con- 
demned to  the  flames. 

It  was  not,  sir,  my  design,  when  I  commenced  this  branch 
of  the  discussion,  in  my  last  letter,  to  draw  very  largely 


LETTER  IX.  99 

from  the  books  upon  the  subject, — aware,  as  I  very  well 
am,  that  few  persons  could  hope  to  call  your  attention  to 
any  historical  information,  with  which  your  mind  is  not  al- 
ready stored.  Yet,  as  this  question,  the  antiquity  of  Ma- 
sonry,  has  been  much  debated,  and  as  these  sheets  must  ne- 
cessarily fall  under  the  eyes  of  others  than  yourself,  I  have 
thought  it  might  not  be  altogether  a  waste  of  time  to  collect 
and  throw  into  this  popular  form,  such  items  of  general  in- 
formation, respecting  it,  as  I  could  conveniently  bring  to- 
gether within  a  reasonable  space.  I  trust  that  you  will 
therefore  pardon  me,  while  I  dwell  somewhat  longer  upon 
this  point,  even  though  I  should  find  it  necessary  to  go  yet 
further  into  detail. 

All  the  encyclopasdists  whom  I  have  found  leisure  to  con- 
sult, have  noticed  the  institution  more  or  less  at  large,  and 
several  have  appropriated  considerable  space  to  the  subject. 
Dr.  Rees  cites  Preston,  a  masonic  historian,  and  Past  Mas- 
ter of  the  lodge  of  Antiquities,  largely,  and  with  approbation. 
This  writer   supposes   the  introduction  of  Masonry  into 
England  to  have  been  prior  to  the  Roman  invasion — that  the 
Druids  were  in  possession  of  the  masonic  secrets,  and  prac- 
tised their  customs,  and  that  Cccsar  and  his  generals  were 
its  ardent  friends  and  supporters.     After  the  Romans  left 
England,  the  labors  of  the  order  were  obstructed  by  the 
irruptions  of  the  Picts  and  Scots  ;  but  the  institution  revived 
again  with  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  by  St.  Austin^ 
who  was  its  zealous  patron.     So  says  Preston;   but  Dr. 
Dalcho  declares  the  idea  of  Austin's  coming   over  from 
Rome,  as  the  minister  of  Freemasonry,  to  be  as  great  an 
absurdity  as  the  supposition  that  the  book  of  the  law  owes 
its  preservation  to  the  Masons.     The  Bishop  came  over  to 
England  at  the  head  of  forty  monks,  instead  of  Freemasons. 
The  English  historian,  Henry,  attributes  the  origin  of 
the  Masons  in  England,  to  the  difficulty  experienced,  in 
oarly  times,  of  obtaining  enough  men  of  skill,  to  build  the 


100  LETTER  IX. 

churches  and  monasteries   of  the  middle  ages;  and  that, 
consequently,  architects  and  builders  were  favored  by  the 
Popes  with  indulgencies,  to  augment  their  numbers.     In 
support  of  this  position  he  quotes  an  author,  the  name  of 
whom  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain,  stating  that  some 
Greek  refugees,  with  Frenchmen,  Germans  and  Flemings^ 
formed  a  fraternity  of  architects,  and,  procuring  papal  bulls, 
ranged  from  nation  to  nation,  where  churches  were  to  be 
built,  encamped  in  huts  by  themselves,  and  framed  regulv 
tions  for  their  own  government,  according  with  the  pecu- 
liar circumstances  of  their  occupation,  and  the  lives  they 
were   leading.     "Masonry  was  restored,  and  some  other 
*'  arts  connected  with  it,  introduced  into   England,"   says 
Henry,  "  towards  the  end  of  the  seventh  century,  by  two 
"  clergymen,  who  were  great  travellers,  and  had  often  visit- 
"  ed  Rome,  where  they  had  gained  a  taste  for  the  arts."* 
This  sentence,  separated  from  the  context,  might  be  sup- 
*posed  to  apply  either  to  speculative  or  operative  Masonry,  as 
the  reader  might  choose  to  construe  it.  But  the  historian  pro- 
ceeds to  inform  his  reader,  that  the  two  travelling  ecclesias- 
tics were,  Wilfred,  Bishop  of  York,  afterwards  of  Hexham, 
and  Benedict  Biscop,  founder  of  the  abbey  of  Weremouth. 
Biscop,  we  are  told,  made  no  fewer  than  six  journies  to 
Rome,  collecting  books,  pictures,  statues,  and  other  curiosi- 
ties ; — then  crossing  over  into  France,  he  collected  a  num- 
ber of  Masons,  "  and  brought  them  over  into  England  to 
"  build  their  churches  and  monasteries,  of  stone,  as  they  did 
**  in  Rome.^'     In  the  same  way,  they  sent  over  to  France  for 
glass-makers,  &c.     The  historian  then  proceeds  to  give  a 
gorgeous  description  of  the  magnificent   church  built  by' 
these  Masons  at  Hexham,  the  ground  lor  which  was  given 
by  queen  Etheldreda.     A  cotcmporary  historian  quoted  by 
Henry,  describing  the  grandeur  of  this  structure,  conceives 
that  the  plan  of  it  must  have  been  inspired  by  the  spirit  of 

*  Vol.  4,  Lon.  ed.  of  !7S3— Chnpt'^r  on  tho  Arta. 


LETTER  IX.  101 

God,  such  was  the  grandeur  of  the  design,  and  the  splendor 
of  its  execution.  But  in  all  this,  Dr.  Henry  makes  no  allu- 
sion whatever  to  a  regularly  organized  society,  and  evident- 
ly intends  to  be  understood  as  referring  to  operative  builders 
— stone  masons — and  nothing  more.  This  construction  is 
rendered  still  more  obvious,  from  the  manner  in  vv^hich  the 
author  speaks  of  the  introduction  of  Masonry  into  Scotland. 
In  the  year  710,  he  informs  us,  in  the  chapter  already 
quoted,  that  there  was  not  so  much  as  one  church  of  stone 
in  the  kingdom,  or  an  artist  in  Scotland  who  could  build 
one.  Naitan,  king  of  the  Picts,  wrote  to  Ceolfred,  abbot  of 
Weremouth,  entreating  him  to  send  him  over  some  masons, 
to  build  a  church  of  stone  in  his  kingdom,  in  imitation  of  the 
Romans, — promising  to  dedicate  the  edifice,  when  comple- 
ted, to  St.  Peter.  Bede,  who  was  then  living  in  the  abbey 
of  Weremouth,  states  that  "  the  reverend  abbot  Ceolfred 
^'  granted  his  pious  request,  and  sent  masons  according  to 
"  his  desire."  These,  again,  were  operative  masons  ;  but 
Henry,  nevertheless,  was  of  the  opinion,  that  the  masons 
thus  introduced  into  England  and  Scotland,  were  descend- 
ed from  the  Collegia  Artificum  of  the  Romans,  and  that  the 
masonic  institution  of  his  own  times,  was  derived  from  those 
travelling  artizans. 

Chambers's  Encyclopsedia,  (London  edition  of  1781,) 
speaks  of  the  institution  as  "  a  very  ancient  society,  or  body 
^'  of  men,  so  called  from  some  extraordinary  knowledge  of 
••  masonry  or  building.  They  were  very  considerable  for 
•'  numbers  and  character,  consisting  principally  of  persons 
"  of  merit  and  consideration."  It  is,  however,  admitted  by 
Chambers,  to  be  very  doubtful  when  the  order  was  introdu- 
ced into  England.  *•  Some,"  he  says,  "  have  traced  the  ori- 
"  gin  of  Masonry,  in  general,  to  the  year  674,  when  the 
^*  manufacture  of  glass  was  introduced.  It  is  certain  that 
^'  after  this  time,  many  of  the  public  buildings  in  England, 
*'  in  the  Gothic  style^  were  erected  l)y  men  in  companie-g. 


102  LETTER  IX. 

^'  who,  it  is  said,  called  themselves  free,  because  they  were 
^'  at  liberty  to  work  in  any  part  of  the  kingdom  they  might 
"  select."  Others  have  derived  the  institution  of  Freema- 
sons from  a  combination  among  the  masons  not  to  work 
without  an  advance  of  wages,  when  they  were  summoned 
from  several  counties,  by  writs  of  Edward  III.,  directed 
to  the  sheriffs,  to  assist  in  rebuilding  and  enlarging  the  cas- 
tle, together  with  the  church  and  chapel  of  St.  George,  at 
Windsor :  accordingly,  it  was  said  that  the  masons  agreed 
on  signs,  tokens,  emblems,  &c.,  by  which  they  might  know 
one  another,  and  to  assist  each  other  against  being  impress- 
ed, and  to  avoid  being  compelled  to  work  unless  free,  and 
on  THEIR  OWN  TERMS.  The  end,  thus  far,  appeared  lauda- 
ble enough  ; — tending  only  to  promote  social  intercourse, 
friendship,  mutual  assistance,  and  good  fellowship. 

The  true  re-establishment  of  Masonry  in  England,  says 
Dr.  Rees,  "  is  dated  from  king  Athelstan ;  and  there  is  still 
*'  existing  an  ancient  lodge  in  York,  tracing  its  origin  to  that 
"  period.  After  the  decease  of  Athelstan,  the  Masons  were 
"  dispersed,  and  remained  so,  until  960,  when  they  were  col- 
"  lectcd  under  the  reign  of  Edgar,  by  St.  Dunstan."  "  It 
"  again  declined  until  /the  reign  of  Edward  the  Confessor, 
"  when  they  were  summoned  to  the  building  of  Westminster 
"Abbey,  in  1041."  From  this  period  its  history  is  traced 
with  great  particularity,  by  Dr.  Rees,  down  to  the  acces- 
sion of  George  I. — The  narrative  gives  a  rapid  view  of  the 
vicissitudes  of  good  and  ill  fortune  which  attended  the  pro- 
gress of  the  institution  during  that  period,  together  with  the 
names  of  the  whole  line  of  Grand  Masters,  and  distinguished 
patrons,  both  in  church  and  state,  according  to  the  testimo- 
ny of  Preston — which  is  as  doubtful  as  the  greatest  skeptic 
could  desire. 

'llio  author  of  the  Age  of  Reason,  wrote  a  tract  in  con- 
nexion with  the  third  part  of  that  infamous  work,  upon  the 
oriofin  of  Freemasonrv.     But  notwithstandincr  his  usual  sa- 


LETTER  IX.  103 

gacity,  he  also  has  suffered  himself  to  be  deceived  as  to  its 
antiquity.  A  full  disclosure  of  the  secrets  of  Masonry  was 
published  by  Samuel  Pritchard,  in  1 730,  who  made  oath  to 
the  truth  of  his  work,  before  the  lord  mayor  of  London.  As 
Masonry  was  then  constituted,  Pritchard's  disclosures  were 
as  full  and  complete  as  those  afterwards  made  under  the  ti- 
tle of  "  Jachin  and  Boaz,"  or  the  later  revelations  of  Mor- 
gan. There  was  then  but  one  obligation  for  the  three  de- 
grees, and  that  was  much  shorter  than  either  of  those  at  pre- 
sent in  use.*  Paine  takes  the  revelations  of  Pritchard  for  his 
guide,  and  endeavors  to  prove  that  the  institution  was  deriv- 
ed from  the  religion  of  the  Druids,  who,  he  says,  were  wor- 
shippers of  the  sun.  He  also  supposes  that  both  Masonry 
and  the  Druidical  religion  came  from  the  fire  worshippers, 
in  the  east.  His  argument,  in  regard  to  the  Druidical  char- 
acter of  Freemasonry,  is  founded  chiefly  upon  the  fact,  that 
the  sun  is  a  masonic  emblem  ;  that  frequent  references  are 
made  to  the  sun  in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  lodge  ; 
that  masonic  edifices,  are  always  erected  "  due  east  and 
-^^  west ;"  and  that  the  words  of  the  formularies — "  as  the 
"  sun  rises  in  the  east,  to  open  and  adorn  the  day,  so  does 
*'  the  Worshipful  Master  stand  in  the  east  to  open  and  adorn 
"  the  lodge,"  &c.,  convey  the  same  allusion.  But  there  is 
neither  history  nor  tradition,  to  support  the  hypothesis  of 
Paine.  His  premises,  therefore,  being  false,  his  conclusions 
are  equally  so  ;  and  if,  as  he  asserts,  there  be  really  a  coin- 
cidence between  the  ceremonies  of  the  lodges,  and  the  rites 
of  the  Druids,  the  masons  must  have  adopted  them,  as  they 
are  alledged  to  have  accommodated  to  the  same  object  the 
emblems  and  insignia  of  the  Rosicrucians,  which  were  the 
tools  and  aprons  of  the  handicraft  masons.  Other  writers, 
however,  have  mentioned  the  Druids  as  having  practised 
rites  and  mysteries,  corresponding,  in  some  respects,  with 

'^  Yidc  Appendix  C. 


104 


LETTER  IX. 


those  of  the  Masons.  But  these  ceremonies  were  beheverl 
to  have  been  derived  from  the  Pythagoreans.  There  wa^ 
a  similarity  between  the  fraternities  of  the  Druids  and  the 
Pythagoreans,  according  to  Henry  and  others,  as  well  in 
their  forms  and  mysteries,  as  in  their  religious  and  philoso- 
phical opinions.  But  this  fact  does  not  help  to  sustain  the 
hypothesis  of  Paine. 

The  Encyclopsedia  Britannica  has  given  a  condensed, 
but  a  still  better  history  of  the  society,  than  that  of  Rees, 
although  it  is  very  evident  that,  for  the  most  part,  both  have 
drawn  their  information  from  the  same  identical  sources.- 
And  the  article  "  Masonry,"  in  the  8th  volume  of  the  Ency- 
clopa3dia  Americana,  a  valuable  w^ork  now^  in  the  course  of 
publication  on  the  basis  of  the  German  Conversations  Lexi- 
con, contains  a  more  compact,  and,  on  the  whole,  I  am  in- 
clined to  think,  a  better  account  than  either  of  the  works  to 
which  I  have  yet  referred.  Disregarding,  as  it  ought,  the 
idle  traditions  connecting  the  society  with  the  Greek  or 
Egyptian  mysteries,  or  claiming  its  descent  from  the  Diony- 
sian  architects,  or  the  Pythagorean  society ;  denying,  also, 
and  wdth  equal  justness,  that  it  sprung  from  the  Templars, 
the  Jesuits,  or  the  Rosicrucians,  or  even  from  the  common 
corporation  of  masons,  the  last  mentioned  w^ork  entertains 
the  opinion  in  common  with  Henry,  that  speculative  Mason- 
ry, as  I  have  just  mentioned,  was  derived  irom  the  Collegia 
Artificum  of  the  Romans,  or  societies  of  architects  and  ar- 
tificers, who  sprang  from  the  Collegia,  and  w^erc  transplant- 
ed over  tlie  various  countries  of  western  Europe,  in  the 
train  of  their  legions.  There  was  no  tow^n,  how^ever  small, 
and  no  province,  however  distant,  visited  by  the  Roman 
arms,  where  some  of  the  Collegia  did  not  exist,  until  the 
downfall  of  the  empire.  Many  of  their  members  w-ere,  of 
course,  transplanted  to  Britain,  but  driven  thence  by  the  Scots 
and  Picts,  as  I  have  already  noted.  Nevertheless,  they  still 
continued  to  flourish  in  other  Europcnn  countries,  wliencc 


LETTER  IX.  lOS 

they  Were  subsequently  invited  to  England,  by  Alfred  and 
Aihelstan,  to  assist  in  building  their  castles,  abbeys  and 
convents,  and  on  repairing  thither,  received  letters  of  protec- 
tion from  the  Pope  and  the  King,  extending  to  them  certain 
privileges,  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  upon  other  authori- 
ties. "  They  then  united,  under  v^^ritten  constitutions,  foun- 
"ded  upon  the  ancient  constitutions  of  the  Roman  and 
"  Greek  colleges,  and  the  provisions  of  the  civil  law.  Their 
"  religious  tenets,  being  often  objects  of  suspicion  to  the  or- 
"  thodox  catholics,  and  often  diflering  amongst  themselves, 
"  were  not  allowed  to  obtrude  in  their  meetings,  and  were 
"  of  course  kept  secret.  Secrecy,  moreover,  was  the  char- 
"  acter  of  all  the  corporations  of  the  middle  ages,  and  down 
"  to  the  most  recent  times,  the  corporations  of  mechanics 
"  on  the  European  continent,  had  what  they  called  '  secrets 
"  of  the  craft,' — certain  words,  or,  sometimes,  absurd  cere- 
"  monies,  by  which  they  pretended  to  know  each  other.  To 
"  this  it  must  be  added,  that  the  corporations  of  architects 
"  in  the  middle  ages,  were  descended  from  the  times  of  an- 
^*  tiquity,  so  that  their  societies  had  received,  in  the  times 
"  when  the  Romans  adored  all  gods,  and  listened  to  all  phi- 
"  losophical  systems,  impressions  derived  from  the  Greek 
"  philosophical  schools,  particularly  the  stoic,  united  v/ith 
"  some  fragments  of  the  Egyptian  mysteries,  and  subse- 
"  quently  modified  by  notions  acquired  in  the  early  times  of 
*'  Christianity,  particularly  from  the  Gnostics,  which  led  to 
"  certain  doctrines  and  sacred  ceremonies,  clothed,  accord- 
"  ing  to  the  spirit  of  the  time,  in  symbols,  and  constituting 
"  their  esoteric  mxysteries."  In  time,  these  masons,  or  ar- 
chitects, thus  assembled  in  England,  formed  schools  of  the 
fine  arts,  to  which  many  respectable  artists,  native  and  for- 
eign, resorted  for  initiation.  Such  was  their  character  so 
late  as  when  Inigo  Jones  presided  over  the  order  as  Grand 
Master. 

14 


106  LETTER  IX. 

I  do  not  pretend,  sir,  nor  do  I  wish  to  prove,  by  any  of 
these  gleanings  from  the  books,  that  Freemasonry,  in  the 
manner  and  form  of  its  organization  during  the  last  centu- 
ry, had  an  existence  as  a  charitable  and  social  institution,  ir- 
respective of  any  particular  labor  in  the  advancement  of  the 
arts ;  but  that  the  society  had  a  very  ancient  being,in  England, 
in  some  form,  I  think  cannot  be  doubted.  All  the  circumstan- 
ces and  incidents  stated  of  its  early  history,  may  not  be  true. 
Doubtless  they  are  not :  but  still,  there  are  facts  and  evi- 
dences enough,  which  cannot  be  questioned,  to  sustain  this 
position.  St.  Alban  is  said  to  have  been  a  great  friend  to 
the  masons,  and  to  have  obtained  a  charter  for  them  to  hold 
general  councils,  or  assembly s,  as  they  were  called.  The 
wages  of  the  operatives  were  at  that  time — about  A.  D. 
300 — a  penny  a  day,  the  workmen  being  found.  These 
circumstances  are  said  to  be  mentioned  in  a  manuscript 
written  in  the  time  of  James  II only  that  this  latter  ac- 
count makes  the  wages  of  the  masons  to  have  been  3s.  6d. 
per  diem,  and  that  of  the  bearers  of  burdens  3d.  per  diem. 
In  regard  to  the  particular  agency  of  St.  Alban,  in  procuring 
a  masonic  charter,  however,  I  confess  myself  rather  incre- 
dulous. But  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  a  lodge  was  insti- 
tuted in  Yorkshire,  about  the  year  916  of  the  christian  era. 
The  tradition  is,  that  the  lodge  was  instituted  at  Audley, 
near  York,  by  a  <;harter  from  Athelstan,  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  king's  brother  Edwin,  whose  seat  was  at  Audley. 
Certain  it  is,  that  there  is  a  very  ancient  lodge  at  York,  and 
for  a  long  succession  of  years  the  meetings  were  held  therc^ 
and  the  lodge  is  believed  to  have  been  continued  in  regular 
succession  at  that  place,  down  even  to  the  present  day, 
where  the  original  charter,  written  in  Anglo  Saxon,  is  yet 
preserved.  The  employment  of  the  members  of  this  lodge^ 
in  its  early  career,  was  the  building  of  monasteries,  abbey» 
and  churches. 


LETTER  IX.  107 

Attempts  were  made  during  the  rebellion  in  tlie  i-eign  of 
Henry  V.,  to  inculpate  the  Masons  as  the  authors  of  it,  but 
"without  success.  After  Gloucester's  execution,  the  king 
himself  became  a  member  of  the  order,  and  is  said  to  have 
paid  great  attention  to  it.  He  perused  and  sanctioned  its 
constitutions,  and  many  of  the  nobles  followed  his  example 
in  favoring  the  society.  In  1425,  during  the  reign  of  Hen- 
ry VI.,  an  act  wa^  passed  against  the  meetings  of  the  chap- 
ters and  congregations  of  Masons,  in  consequence  of  an  al- 
ledged  interference  with  the  business  and  wages  of  laborers. 
The  society  was  at  that  time  organized  under  Henry  Chich- 
ley.  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  was  tlie  Grand  Mas- 
ter. The  act  was  supposed  to  have  been  procured  hy  the 
illiterate  clergy,  who  were  hostile  to  the  secrecy  observed 
by  the  society — believing  that  they  had  an  indefeasible 
right  to  be  made  acquainted  with  all  secrets,  by  virtue  of 
auricular  confession  ;  and  the  Masons  would  not  confess. 
The  Archbishop,  however,  had  sufficient  influence  to  pre- 
vent the  execution  of  the  law.  But  the  Roman  catholics 
have  uniformly  been  the  most  bitter  opponents  of  the  insti- 
tution in  Europe,  since  its  revival  in  England,  and  propaga- 
tion from  thence  to  the  continent,  about  one  hundred  years 
ago.  It  was  speedily  proscribed  in  France,  the  Netherlands, 
Italy,  Spain  and  Portugal  ;  and  in  our  own  day,  the  decrees 
t)f  the  latter  powers  against  it,  have  often  been  echoed  in 
thunders  from  the  Vatican — probably  because  it  infringes 
upon  the  privileges  which  they  wish  to  enjoy  themselves. 
Auricular  confession  is  sacred.  No  menace  nor  power  can 
extort  from  the  priest  a  secret  so  sacredly  and  uiviolably 
reposed.  The  catholic  priest,  if  a  true  catholic,  will  have 
his  throat  cut  across,  and  his  tongue  plucked  out  by  the 
roots,  before  he  will  reveal  the  secrets  of  the  confessional 
But  when  a  rival  despository  of  secrets  is  created,  it  is  quitf 
me  autre  chose.     It  must  be  put  down:  it  is  heretical 


108  lETTER  IX. 

Elizabeth  undertook  to  suppress  the  order  altogether ; 
but  was  diverted  from  her  purpose.  James  I.  patronized 
the  lodge  of  Scotland,  and  settled  a  revenue  of  £4  Scots, 
to  be  paid  by  every  Master  Mason  to  a  Grand  Master,  to 
be  a  man  nobly  born,  or  a  clergyman,  his  appointment  to  be 
approved  by  the  crown. 

The  earliest  historical  mention  of  Freemasonry,  as  a  so- 
cial society,  corresponding,  in  several  respects,  with  the  in- 
stitution of  the  present  day,  is  contained  in  Plofs  Natural 
History  of  Staffordshire.  Dr.  Plot  was  a  learned  philoso- ' 
pher,  and  an  antiquary.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Society  ;  historiographer  to  the  king,  and  also,  at  one  time, 
librarian  and  keeper  of  the  Ashmolean  Library  and  Museum, 
at  Oxford.  His  account  is  so  curious  and  instructing  with- 
al, and  so  important,  as  being,  in  fact,  the  earliest  classical 
record  of  the  existence  of  the  society  in  this  form,  that  I 
make  no  apology  for  transcribing  the  whole  passage : — 
"  They  have  a  custom  in  Staffordshire,  of  admitting  men 
"  into  the  society  of  Freemasons,  that  in  the  moorelands  of' 
"  this  country  seems  to  be  of  greater  request  than  any  where 
"  else,  though  I  find  the  custom  spread,  more  or  less,  all  over 
"  the  nation  ;  for  here  I  found  persons  of  the  most  eminent 
"  quality,  that  did  not  disdain  to  be  of  this  fellowship  ;  nor, 
"  indeed  need  they,  were  it  of  that  antiquity  and  honor  that 
"  is  pretended,  in  a  large  parchment  volume  they  have 
"  amongst  them,  containing  the  history  and  rules  of  the  craft 
'f  of  Masonry,  which  is  there  deduced  not  only  from  sacred 
"  writ,  but  profane  story ;  particularly  that  it  was  brought 
"  into  England  by  >S'^.  Amphihal,  and  first  communicated  to 
^^  St.  AJhan,  &g.  Into  which  society,  when  any  are  admit- 
"  ted,  they  call  a  meeting,  (or  lodge,  as  they  term  it  in  some 
"  places,)  which  must  consist  at  least  of  five  or  six  of'  the 
"  ancients  of  the  order,  whom  the  candidates  present  with 
"  gloves,  and  so  likewise  to  their  wives,  and  entertain  with 


LETTER  IX.  109 

*■*  a  collation,  accordipig  to  the  custom  of  the  place.  This 
"  ended,  they  proceed  to  the  admission  of  them,  which  chief- 
'•  ly  consists  in  the  communication  of  certain  secret  signs, 
**  whereby  they  are  known  to  one  another  all  over  the  na- 
"  tion,  by  which  means  they  have  maintenance  whitherever 
"  they  travel ;  for  if  any  man  appear,  though  altogether  un- 
"  known,  that  can  show  any  of  these  signs  t(i  a  felloio  of  the 
"  society,  whom  they  otherwise  call  an  accepted  Mason.,  he 
"  is  obliged  presently  to  come  to  him,  from  what  company 
"  or  place  soever  he  be  in  ;  nay,  though  from  the  top  of  a 
"  steeple,  what  hazard  or  inconvenience  soever  he  run,  to 
"  know  his  pleasure  and  assist  him  ;  viz.  if  he  want  work,  he 
"  is  bound  to  find  him  some ;  or,  if  he  cannot  do  that,  to  give 
"  him  money,  or  otherwise  support  him  till  work  can  be 
"  had,  which  is  one  of  their  articles  ;  and  it  is  another,  that 
"  they  advise  the  masters  they  work  for,  according  to  the 
"  best  of  their  skill,  acquainting  them  with  the  goodness  or 
"  badness  of  their  materials  ;  and  if  they  be  any  way  out  in 
"  the  contrivance  of  the  buildings,  modestly  to  rectify  them 
"  in  it,  that  Masonry  be  not  dishonored  ;  and  many  such  like 
"  that  are  commonly  known.  But  some  others  they  have, 
"  (to  which  they  are  sworn  after  their  fashion,)  that  none 
"  know  but  themselves,  which  I  have  reason  to  suspect,  are 
"  much  worse  than  these,  perhaps  as  bad  as  this  History  of 
•'  the  Craft  itself ;  than  which  there  is  notliing  I  ever  met 
*'  with,  more  false  or  incoherent." 

This  work  was  written  about  the  year  1666.  Thomas 
Ashmole,  for  whom  the  author.  Dr.  Plot,  was  sometime 
librarian,  was  likewise  a  philosopher,  an  antiquary,  and  a 
man  of  great  learning.  He  was  admitted  to  the  freedom  oi 
the  Masons'  corporation,  in  London,  in  1646.  He  w^as  the 
last  of  the  Rosicrucians,  and  was  given  much  to  the  study 
of  alchemy  and  astrology.  Ever  employed  in  advancing 
the  cause  of  science  and  learning,  his  labors  were  indefati- 
gable in  procuring  collections  of  medals,  manuscripts,  and 


110  LETTER  IX. 

rare  and  valuable  works,  particularly  upon  those  sciences  i» 
the  study  of  which  he  took  so  much  delight.  The  Freema- 
sons have  ever  been  anxious  to  claim  him  as  one  of  the 
craft ;  and  he  speaks  himself,  in  his  private  diary,  under  date 
of  March  10,  1682,  of  receiving  a  summons  to  attend  a 
lodge,  the  next  day,  at  Masons'  Hall.  Under  date  of  March 
11,  he  gives  aa  account  of  attending  the  lodge,  and  notes 
down  the  names  of  new  members  "  admitted  into  the  fel- 
"  lowship  of  the  lodge."  He  also  mentions  "  a  noble  dinner," 
of  which  he  partook,  "  prepared  at  the  charge  of  the  new 
*'  accepted  Masons."  The  fact  that  Ashmole  was  a  Rosicru- 
cian — the  last  of  the  number,  as  it  is  said — may,  perhaps,  be 
taken  as  an  evidence  that  there  was  possibly  some  re- 
semblance between  the  ceremonies  of  the  Masons,  and  those 
of  the  order  of  the  ro§y  cross.  As  the  masonic  society  was 
undergoing  changes  at  the  period  of  Ashmole's  membership, 
his  attachment  to  the  mysteries  of  his  favorite  order,  then 
extinguished,  may  have  induced  him  to  incorporate  some  of 
their  rites  and  ceremonies  with  those  of  the  Masons. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  reign  of  Anne,  the  society 
declined,  although  it  was  revived,  or  rather  received  a  new 
impulse,  in  1705.  It  was  at  about  that  time  determined  that 
the  privileges  of  the  order  should  not  be  confined  to  opera- 
tive masons,  but  that  persons  of  all  trades  and  professions 
might  be  admitted  to  a  participation  with  its  mysteries. 
This  innovation,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  is  much  to  be 
regretted.  It  is  known  and  admitted  that  of  the  arts,  only 
one  has  declined,  and  that  is  architecture.  Recent  edifices 
may  be  more  gorgeous  and  costly,  but  in  taste  and  gran- 
deur, the  moderns  are  unquestionably  far  behind  the  archi- 
tects of  even  the  Gothic  ages.  This  may  have  been  owing 
to  the  encouragement  formerly  bestowed  upon  them.  When 
a  particular  pursuit  is  greatly  rewarded,  either  by  wealth 
or  fame,  it  is  with  almost  entire  certainty  advanced  to  ex- 
cellence.    In  feudal  times, — when  the  little  learning  extant 


LETTER  IX.  Ill 

Was  confined  to  the  cells  of  the  monks — when  few  could 
read  and  fewer  write — when  crosses,  seals,  and  armorial 
bearings  were  substituted  for  the  sign-manual,  it  cannot  be 
surprising  that  the  architects^  then  the  most  popular,  envied, 
and  "  rewarded,"  of  operatives,  should  have  endeavored  to 
secure  to  themselves  and  their  order  a  monopoly,  by  avail- 
ing themselves  of  those  modes  of  secrecy  and  appropriation 
which  corresponded  with  the  spirit  of  the  times. 

The  general  assembly  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  York,  had 
continued  to  meet  as  usual,  even  while  the  society  was  not 
prosperous.  In  the  year  last  mentioned,  there  was  a  large 
convocation  at  York,  under  the  direction  of  Sir  John  Tem- 
pest, and  many  persons  of  worth  and  character  were  initia- 
ted. Previously  to  this  date,  another  Grand  Lodge  had 
sprung  up.  That  of  York  was  called  the  "  Grand  Lodge 
"  of  England."  Its  rival,  in  contradistinction,  arrogated  to 
itself  the  title  of  "  Grand  Lodge  of  all  England."  They 
were  on  amicable  terms  at  this  time  ;  but  difficulties  at 
length  arose  which  produced  a  breach  that  has  never  been 
healed. 

There  was  also  a  quarrel,  of  long  standing,  between  the 
York  Masons  and  those  of  Scotland,  arising  from  their  re- 
Spective  claims  to  priority  of  antiquity.  Even  yet  the  dif- 
ferences between  them  are  not  healed  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  as  we  have  recently  seen  in  the  difficulties  encounter- 
ed by  our  late  accomplished  minister  to  Mexico, — Mr.  Poin- 
sett. Wherever  Scots  Masonry  has  been  planted,  its  mem* 
bers  affect  to  despise  the  English,  and  will  not  listen  to  the? 
prior  claims  of  the  latter.  But  in  Scotland,  as  in  England, 
the  early  history  of  speculative^  is  confounded  with  opera- 
tive Masonry.  Their  earliest  date  is  710,"  at  which  period* 
as  I  have  already  cited  from  Dr.  Henry,  their  king  sent 
over  to  England  for  masons  to  build  stone  churches.  They 
claim  their  actual  descent,  as  corporate  or  organized  bodies 
from  the  lodge  of  Kilwinnins:.  Their  trade  was  or^ranized  bv 


112  LETTER  IX. 

corporation,  in  common  with  other  trades  in  Scotland,  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  funds  for  the  support  of  their  poor, 
sometime  between  the  years  1520  and  1560.  About  the 
year  1645,  Wilham  St.  Clair,  lord  of  Iloslin,  was  authori- 
sed by  the  trade,  to  purchase  and  obtain  from  the  king,  "  li- 
"  berty,  freedom  and  jurisdiction  over  them,  and  their  suc- 
"cessors,  in  all  times  coming,  as  their  patron  and  judge." 
The  grant  was  signed  by  William  Shaw,  master  of  the 
work  ;  Thomas  Wier,  mason,  of  Edinburgh  ;  and  Thomas 
Robertson,  warden  of  the  lodge  of  Dumfermline  and  St. 
Andrews,  "  with  our  hands  laid  on  the  pen,  by  the  notary, 
*'  at  our  command,  because  we  cannot  write.'^  The  masonic 
courts  continued  to  be  held  at  Kilwinning  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  vSinclairs  of  Roslin,  until  the  year  1 736 — that  is 
to  say,  for  the  period  of  1 06  years — during  which  time,  as 
Lawrie  informs  us.  Masonry  flourished,  and  many  charters 
and  constitutions  were  granted.  At  the  last  mentioned  pe- 
riod, the  earl  of  St.  Clair  resigned,  and  renounced  his  right 
and  title,  by  virtue  of  the  grant  of  1630,  to  the  office  of 
"  patron,  protector,  judge  or  master,  of  the  Masons  in  Scot- 
"  land."  A  Grand  Lodge  w^as  then  organized,  and  the  carl 
was  immediately  chosen  Grand  Master.  Speculative  Ma- 
sonry was  then  engrafted  upon  the  order,  and  from  that 
period  Freemasonry,  as  it  is  now  universally  understood,  is 
to  be  dated  in  Scotland.  Kilwinning,  however,  continued 
to  grant  charters,  and  gave  the  Grand  Lodge  some  trouble, 
as  the  York  Masons  did  in  the  sister  island. 

But  to  return  to  England.  At  the  moment  of  turning 
my  attention  to  the  masonic  history  of  Scotland,  I  had  ar- 
rived at  a  distinguishing  landmark  in  its  English  history.  I 
refer  to  the  memorable  year  of  1717,  and  the  celebrated 
meeting  at  the  appletree  tavern,  of  which  so  much  has  been 
said  by  the  Anti-masonic  writers. 

In  the  rapid  glance  I  have  taken  of  its  antecedent  his- 
tory, I  have  aimed  at  touching  only  a  few  of  its  most  pro** 


LETTER  IX.  lis 

mineiit  features, — purposely  omitting  all  unnecessary  de- 
tails respecting  the  names  of  the  kings,  and  prelates,  and 
nobles,  and  eminent  artists,  who  are  claimed  to  have  been 
its  patrons  and  Grand  Masters,  as  well  as  of  the  diflerent 
eras  during  which  the  society  was  in  prosperous  or  adverse 
circumstances.  It  is  of  little  importance  to  the  subject  of 
the  present  inquiry,  whether  the  society  was  depressed 
during  the  wars  of  the  roses,  or  whether,  after  a  long  and 
lingering  existence,  it  rose  with  the  accession  of  the  House 
of  Brunswick.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that,  whatever  were  the 
vicissitudes  it  experienced,  or  whoever  were  its  officers  and 
patrons,  the  Masonry  of  that  period  was  a  very  different 
affair  from  what  it  is  now  ;  for  it  was  only  in  this  same  year 
of  1717,  that  it  received  its  existing  "  form  and  pressure." 
After  its  renovation  in  the  reign  of  Anne,  the  society  had 
again  declined,  until  there  were  but  four  lodges  existing,  in 
which  the  ancient  symbols  and  usages  were  preserved.  A 
meeting  of  members  v/as  held  at  the  appletree  tavern,  in 
London,  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  change  the  essential 
characteristics  of  the  society,  by  relinquishing  it  as  a  school 
of  architecture,  and  moulding  it  into  an  association  of 
brotherly  love  and  truth.  The  constitutions  were  remo- 
delled in  1721,  upon  the  basis  of  that  of  York  ;  and  in  1723, 
its  charitable  character  was  imparted  to  it  by  the  Duke  of 
Buccleugh,  who  first  suggested  the  raising  of  funds  for  the 
relief  of  distressed  Masons.  It  is  not  contended,  however, 
that  at  the  before  mentioned  meeting  of  the  four  lodges,  in 
London,  in  1717,  to  resuscitate  and  reorganize  the  order,  it 
at  once  assumed  the  form  in  which  it  has  since  been  hand- 
ed down.  Its  rites,  and  its  mysteries,  its  ceremonies,  and 
its  legends,  had  been  gradually  accumulating.  But  the  ac- 
count which,  in  his  candor,  Lawrence  Dermott,  secretary 
of  the  London  Grand  Lodge,  and  author  of  the  original 
Ahiman  Rezon,  gives  of  the  resuscitation,  shows  that  there 


114  LETTER  IX. 

was  a  necessity  for  it,  to  keep  the  order  Iroiii  speedy  extinc- 
tion. He  states,  that,  at  the  time  mentioned,  1717,  some 
jolly  companions  of  the  fellow  craft,  met  together,  and  re- 
solved to  form  a  lodge  for  themselves,  endeavoring  to  recol- 
lect, by  conversation  with  each  other,  what  jiSid  formerly 
been  dictated  to  them,  and  •when  they  could  not  recollect, 
they  substituted  something  of  their  own,  for  the  forgotten 
matter.  There  was  not  one  among  them  who  could  remem- 
ber or  perform  the  master's  part,  and  they  created  it  anew. 
Some  of  the  brethren  objected  to  the  continuance  of  the 
aprons  ;  but  the  older  members  insisted  that  they  should  be 
retained,  since  they  were  about  the  only  signs  of  Masonry 
then  remaining  among  them.  Such,  says  Dermott,  was  the 
beginning  of  modern  Masonry. 

The  earliest  masonic  procession  took  place  in  London,  at 
the  installation  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond  as  Grand  Master, 
June  24,  1724.  They  were  now  called  "  Free  and  Accept- 
"  ed  Masons."  \¥hy  they  were  called  free,  we  have  seen, 
in  the  freedom,  compared  with  other  trades,  which  the  ear- 
lier members  of  the  craft  enjoyed  by  virtue  of  indulgences 
from  the  popes,  and  privileges  granted  them  by  the  kings. 
They  were  called  accepted  Masons,  because,  though  not  Ma- 
sons in  fact,  they  were,  nevertheless,  accepted  as  such. 
The  boasted  mysteries  of  the  order,  originally  meant  no  more 
than  the  mysteries  of  any  other  trade.  The  "  art  and  mys- 
"  tcry"  of  every  trade,  was  a  customary  form  of  expression, 
and  is  yet  preserved  in  the  indentures  of  apprentices  to 
every  species  of  handicraft  workmanship. 

From  this  period,  the  institution  has  spread  itself  rapidly 
over  every  part  of  the  world  where  the  English  have  form- 
ed iutercourse.  Into  the  United  States,  then  the  British 
colonies,  it  was  readily  transplanted,  as  well  as  into  the  con- 
tiguous nations  of  Europe,  although  the  Roman  CathoHc 
See,  and  the  absolute  monarchs  of  Spain  and  Russia,  have 


LETTER  IX.  115 

ever  been  strongly  averse  to  it,  and  have  made  frequent  ef- 
forts for  its  extirpation.  Travelling  lodges  have  often 
accompanied  the  British  and  French  armies,  and  were  fre- 
quently held  in  the  American  army  of  the  revolution.  Some 
of  the  chiefs  of  the- North  American  Indians,  were  created 
Masons  by  the  English  ;  and  the  British  residents  at  Cairo, 
as  I  have  recently  been  informed  by  a  valued  friend,  who 
has  a  personal  knowledge  of  the  fact,  have  imparted  their 
masonic  wisdom  to  the  Sheiks  and  principal  Arabs.  Into 
India,  the  order  was  introduced  as  early  as  1770.  In  1779, 
Omrah  Bahauder,  the  eldest  son  of  a  distinguished  nabob, 
was  made  a  Mason  in  the  lodge  of  Trinchinopoly.  The 
news  havinn^  been  transmitted  to  the  Grand  Lodffe  in  En<?- 
land,  officially,  a  letter  of  congratulation  was  sent  to  him, 
by  a  noble  hand.  It  was  answered  by  a  letter  written  by 
the  young  nabob,  upon  vellum,  in  the  Persian  character,  und 
enveloped  in  gold  cloth.  This  letter  has  been  framed  and 
hung  up  among  the  decorations  of  the  lodge.  But  the 
more  the  order  has  been  extended,  the  less  intimate  has 
become  the  connexion  of  the  lodges  ;  secessions  have 
taken  place  ;  new  systems  have  been  established  ;  rivalry 
has  often  occurred  ;  to  the  first  three  degrees  of  apprentice, 
companion,  and  master,  additional  ones  have  been  added  ; 
until,  in  fact,  it  would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  give  a  general 
character  of  Masons,  in  various  states  and  countries  ; — so 
numerous  are  their  lodges  ;  so  dissimilar  their  degrees,  and 
so  various  their  characters. 

There  can  be  no  necessity,  however,  for  continuing  these 
historical  sketches,  in  their  particular  incidents,  through  the 
last  fifty  years  ;  during  which  period,  English  Masonry  has 
in  all  places  where  it  existed,  been  much  the  same.  Allow 
jne,  therefore,  to  draw  this  branch  of  my  subject  to  a  close. 
I  have  the  honor,  sir,  to  remain, 

Very  respectfully,  yours,  (fee. 


116  LETTER  y. 


LETTER  X.   • 

New- York,  Jan.  20,  1832. 
Sir, 

Freemasonry  has  enough  to  answer  for,  without  being 
in  anywise  burdened  with  false  accusations,  the  offspHng  of 
ignorance,  or  prejudice  ;  or  of  wilful  calumny.  I  must 
therefore  crave  your  indulgence,  sir,  for  a  short  time,  before 
closing  this  first  branch  of  these  investigations,  while  I  re- 
pel one  of  the  most  serious  charges  that  have  been  prefer- 
red against  it.  I  mean  that  of  christian  infidelity.  This  is 
an  accusation  I  have  often  heard  made,  as  well  before,  as 
since,  the  fatal  occurrence  which  has  caused  the  particular 
excitement  against  the  masonic  order.  And  when  combat- 
ting the  calumny,  as  I  have  frequently  done,  it  has  often 
been  gravely  asserted,  by  intelligent  men,  and  even  by  learn- 
ed divines,  that  all  its  emblems  had  been  artfully  devised, 
by  wicked  men,  in  forms  leaving  them  susceptible,  at  one 
and  the  same  time,  of  double  significations  ;  and  all  its  lan- 
guage, in  the  same  manner,  by  some  hidden  cabalistic  ar- 
rangement, made  to  bear  a  double  interpretation  ; — so  that, 
while  in  the  apprehension  of  virtuous  men,  the  apparent  ex- 
planations and  readings,  inculcated  principles  of  the  strict- 
est morahty,  and  the  most  beautiful  precepts  of  charity,  in 
their  true  meaning,  they  were,  in  reality,  nothing  less  than 
the  darkest  and  most  impious  lessons  of  infidelity.  But, 
notwithstanding  the  fact,  that  many  disbelievers  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  christian  religion,  have  unfortunately  been 
admitted  as  members  ;  notwithstanding  the  laxity  of  morals 
on  the  part  of  others  ;  and  notwithstanding,  also,  the  objec- 
tionable forms  of  the  obligations,  the  charge  is  unqualified- 


LETTER  X.  117 

ly,  and  in  all  respects,  untrue.  Indeed,  so  utterly  unfounded 
is  the  accusation,  and  so  directly  to  the  contrary  is  the  fact, 
with  respect  to  every  degree  with  which  I  am  acquainted, 
that  I  cannot  but  flatter  myself  its  falsity  has  been  rendered 
evident  in  the  course  of  the  preceding  expositions, — none  of 
which,  by  the  way,  have  hitherto  been  written  with  imme- 
diate reference  to  this  point  of  the  discussion.  The  idea  of 
the  double  readings,  and  the  double  and  directly  opposite 
interpretations  of  the  emblems  and  symbols  used  in  the  work- 
ing of  the  lodges,  is  too  preposterous  to  require  a  grave 
refutation.  And  if  I  had  not  actually  heard  the  objection 
seriously  made,  and  its  truth  as  seriously  contended  for,  by 
reverend  divines  of  no  ordinary  reputation,  I  should  have 
supposed  it  must  require  an  Uncommon  degree  of  credulity 
in  any  one,  to  believe  even  in  the  existence  of  such  an  opin- 
ion.    The  thing  is  in  itself  impossible. 

Nor  do  I  apprehend  it  will  appear  very  probable,  in  the 
eyes  of  most  men,  that  in  the  very  first  step  of  an  infidel  in- 
stitution, the  initiate  would  be  presented  with  the  bible,  as 
translated  "  by  order  of  the  most  high  and  mighty  prince 
"  James,"  with  a  pledge  that  he  receives  it  as  the  "  rule  and 
"  guide  of  his  faith  and  practice."  The  bible  is  accompanied 
by  the  square  and  compasses,  and  the  charge  is  in  the  fol- 
lowing words : — "  The  Holy  Writings,  that  great  light  in 
^'  Masonry,  will  guide  you  to  all  truth  ;  it  will  direct  your 
*'  path  to  the  temple  of  happiness,  and  point  out  to  you  the 
"  whole  duty  of  man.  The  square  teaches  us  to  regulate 
"  our  actions  by  rule  and  line,  and  to  harmonize  our  conduct 
"  by  the  principles  of  morality  and  virtue.  The  compasses 
"  teach  us,  properly,  to  circumscribe  our  views  and  desires 
"  in  every  station  ;  that  rising  thus  to  eminence  by  merit, 
"  we  may  live  respected,  and  die  regretted."  Really,  sir,  it 
strikes  me,  that  it  would  be  a  most  extraordinary  procedure, 
for  a  club  of  infidels,  to  attempt  building  up  and  sustaining 
a  perpetual  association  of  infidel  men,  upon  such  a  founda- 


118  LETTER  X. 

tion.  The  Bible  ! — the  book  of  books, — the  Hvely  oracles 
of  the  Most  High, — the  revelation  of  his  will  to  man, — the 
humble  christian's  richest  treasure, — containing,  as  it  does, 
those  divine  rules  of  conduct,  and  those  precious  promises, 
on  which  alone  he  builds  his  hopes  of  a  blessed  immortality, 
in  a  world  of  light,  and  life,  and  glory: — The  Bible  ! — the  ob- 
ject of  the  infidel's  scorn  and  dread, — containing  as  it  does, 
the  awful  threatenings  of  God's  vengeance  upon  the  evil- 
doers : — surely  it  will  not  be  contended  that  such  a  book 
has  been  selected  as  the  basis  of  a  society  of  unbelievers  ! 
Had  it,  on  the  contrary,  been  "  The  Age  of  Reason^^  which 
the  speculative  Mason  received  as  the  ground-work  of  his 
religion,  and  the  basis  of  his  morals ;  and  had  the  blasphe- 
mies of  Voltaire  and  Lalande  been  prescribed  as  their  text- 
books, instead  of  the  moral  lessons  and  allegories  of  which 
I  have  spoken  in  the  preceding  letters,  the  case  would  have 
been  far  different — but  scarcely  worse  than  it  has  been  re- 
presented. 

Again :  not  only  has  the  institution  been  charged  with 
infidelity  in  general, — that  is,  with  a  universal  disbelief  in 
things  holy  and  sacred, — but  the  specific  charge  of  Deism, 
and  a  disbelief  in  the  divine  mission  of  the  Saviour  of  Men, 
has  been  predicated  of  the  order,  by  those,  who,  probably, 
would  not  be  quite  so  uncharitable  as  to  accuse  it  of  down- 
right Atheism.  But,  here  again,  I  stand  ready  to  meet  our 
accusers  at  the  threshhold,  and  plead  the  general  issue.'  I 
have  already,  in  the  exposition  of  the  Templar's  degree, 
shown  that  in  the  orders  of  knighthood,  a  belief  in  the  Sa- 
viour, is  an  essential  pre-requisite  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
neither  Jew,  Turk,  nor  infidel,  can  become  participators  in 
those  degrees. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  from  the  circumstance  that  what 
is  called  ancient  Masonry,  is  derived  from  traditions  and 
historical  incidents,  supposed  to  be  connected  with  the  old 
testament  dispensation,  the  belief  in  the  identity  of  God  the 


LETTER  X.  119 

Father  and  the  Son,  is  not  specifically  required ;  yet  the 
symbols  and  emblems  of  every  degree,  from  the  first  to  the 
seventh  inclusive,  point  to,  and  distinctly  indicate,  a  belief 
in  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  Among  these  emblems,  in 
the  very  first  degree,  is  the  blazing  star,  in  commemoration 
of  the  STAR  IN  THE  EAST,  which  appeared  to  guide  the  wise 
men  to  the  place  of  the  nativity  of  the  Messiah.  In  former 
times,  lodges  and  chapters  were  dedicated  to  king  Solomon  ; 
but  latterly,  they  have  been  dedicated,  either  to  John  the 
Baptist,  or  the  Evangelist,  "  because  they  were  christians^* 
And  although  in  the  general  lectures  upon  the  lower  orders, 
it  has  been  usual  to  charge  the  initiates,  as  they  proceeded 
from  step  to  step,  to  adhere  to  those  essentials  of  religion 
in  which  all  men  agree — leaving  each  individual  to  exercise 
his  own  private  judgment  as  to  creeds  and  forms, — yet  it 
is  expressly  enjoined  in  the  lecture  on  the  "  temper  and 
"  qualities  requisite  in  those  who  would  be  Freemasons," 
that  they  "  cannot  tread  in  the  irreligious  paths  of  the  un- 
**  happy  LIBERTINE,  the  deist,  or  the  stupid  atheist."  Nor 
is  this  all :  in  the  first  prayer  of  the  first  degree,  the  aid  of 
the  Almighty  is  invoked,  that  the  candidate  "  may  devote 
"  his  life  to  his  service,"  that  he  may  be  the  better  "  ena- 
"  bled  to  display  the  beauties  of  virtuousness  to  the  honor  of 
*'  THY  holy  name."  Another  prayer  for  the  same  degree, 
has  the  following  passages  : — "  Most  holy  and  glorious  God  ! 
**  the  great  architect  of  the  universe  ;  the  giver  of  all  good 
*'  gifts  and  graces  ;  thou  hast  promised  that '  where  two  or 
**  *  three  are  gathered  together  in  thy  name,  thou  wilt  be  in 
"  '  the  midst  of  them  and  bless  them.'  "  And  "  we  beseech 
"  thee,  O  Lord  God,  to  illumine  our  minds  through  the  in- 
"  fiuence  of  the  sun  of  righteousness,  that  we  may  walk 
*<  in  the  light  of  thy  countenance,"  &c.  One  of  the  prayers 
for  the  opening  of  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  concludes  in 

*  Vide  Ahiman  Rezon^  New-York  ed.,  1 804. 


120 


LETTER  X. 


these  words : — "  This  we  most  humbly  beg,  in  the  Namb 

"  AND  FOR  THE  SAKE  OF  JeSUS  ChRIST  OUR    LoRD    AND  Sa* 

"  viouR."  In  another  place,  the  Saviour  is  recognized  in 
the  significant  title  apph'ed  to  him  by  the  prophet  Daniel — 
"  The  Ancient  of  Days."*  In  short,  sir,  I  might  multiply 
proofs  and  authorities,  of  the  same  description,  to  an  inde- 
finite extent.  But  I  imagine  that  enough  has  been  said  upon 
this  point.  If  the  facts  here  stated,  do  not  amply  vindicate 
the  order  from  the  accusations  to  which  I  have  adverted,  I 
must  confess  my  lack  of  knowledge  as  to  what  would  be 
considered  competent  testimony,  and  my  want  of  ability  to 
execute  the  task.  But  in  any  event,  however  much  the  in- 
stitution may  have  been  corrupted  by  bad,  or  misunder- 
stood or  misused  by  ignorant  men,  I  trust  I  have  succeeded 
in  showing,  that  good  and  pious  men  may  very  well  have 
joined  the  order,  and  retained  their  standing  as  members, 
during  their  whole  lives,  without  compromising  their  reli- 
gious faith  and  principles,  "  though  founded  upon  the  pro- 
"  phets  and  apostles,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
"  corner  stone."  I  know  that  many  such  have  been  its  mem- 
bers, and  that  many  such  even  yet  continue  attached  to  the 
order,  though  I  hope  they  will  shortly  be  persuaded  to  re- 
linquish it.  They  have  been  instructed  "  to  practice  out  of 
"  the  lodge,  those  duties  which  they  have  been  taught  within 
''  it ;"  they  have  labored  by  their  amiable,  discreet,  and  vir- 
tuous conduct,  to  convince  others  of  the  goodness  of  the 
institution — believing  it  to  be  one  in  which  the  burthcned 
heart  might  pour  out  its  sorrow^  to  their  brethren  ;  to 
which  distress  might   prefer  its  suit ;  whose  hands  were 

*  And  yet  the  Rev.  Joel  Parker,  late  of  Rochester,  and  now  of  the  city  of 
New- York,  has  certified  in  a  letter,  and  stated  from  the  pulpit,  in  a  sermon 
which  has  been  printed,  that  "therehgions  worship  of  masonry  is  pmcly 
*' theistical."  "  Freemasonry,"  he  says,  "makes  many  prayers,  but  they  are 
"  prayers  offered  up  without  the  acknowledgment  of  a  Saviour."  The  rev- 
erend gentleman  could  never  have  attended  properly  instructed  masonic  bo- 
dies, or  his  memory  has  been  treacherous  ;  or,  he  could  never  have  investi- 
gated the  subject. 


LETTER  X.  121 

^guided  by  justice,  and  the  hearts  of  whose  members  were 
expanding  with  benevolence.  These,  having  received  the 
holy  scriptures  as  "  the  rule  and  guide  of  their  faith  and 
"  practice,"  have  endeavored  to  acquit  themselves  with  re- 
putation and  honor,  and  sought  to  lay  up  for  themselves  a 
crown  of  rejoicing  which  would  endure  when  time  shall  be 
no  more.*  To  these  individuals,  of  pure  and  honest  mo- 
tives,— of  worthy  and  honorable  conduct, — whose  charity 
"  white  as  the  angel's  wing,"  thinketh  no  evil, — it  may  seem 
marvellous  that  I  add  my  conviction,  that,  notwithstanding 
all  which  can  be  said  in  favor  of  the  order,  by  the  most  un- 
prejudiced and  impartial  men ; — that,  although  I  do  not 
believe  the  principles  of  the  institution  to  be  of  themselves 
immoral  or  irreligious ; — that,  although  I  do  not  believe  it 
was  ever  contemplated  that  the  laws  and  obligations  of  Ma- 
sonry should  come  into  collision  with  the  laws  of  the  land  ; — • 
that,  although  I  do  not  believe  the  great  body  of  the  Free- 
masons of  our  country,  had  any  previous  knowledge  of,  or 
participation  in,  the  great  masonic  crime  of  the  west ;- — and 
thar,  although  I  do  not  believe  that  the  Morgan  conspirators 
have  any  of  them  been  tried  or  punished  for  deeds  which 
they  were  compelled  by  the  terms  or  tenor  of  the  laws  of 
Masonry  to  commit ; — yet,  I  say,  notwithstanding  all  these 
considerations,  and  maugre  all  that  can  be  said  in  its  favor, 
I  am  fully  persuaded,  after  much  examination  and  reflec- 
tion, that,  upon  its  own  merits,  and  independently  altogether 
of  the  events  that  have  transpired  since  the  summer  of  1826, 

THE  ORDER  OP  SPECULATIVE  FrEEMASONRY  OUGHT  FOREVER 

TO  BE  RELINQUISHED.  To  tliis  couclusiou  I  havc  arrived 
from  the  following  considerations,  among  a  variety  of  oth- 
ers that  might  be  enumerated,  viz  : — 

I.   The  main  superstructure,  in  its  history  and  traditions, 
and  its  pretensions,  (in  its  present  organization,)  to  antiquity, 

♦  Vide  charge  to  the  master,  at  the  installation  of  a  lodge, 

16 


122^  LETTER  X. 

is  founded,  to  a  very  considerable  degi'ee,  in  fraud  and  im- 
posture : — 

II.  Its  rites  and  ceremonies  are  puerile  and  frivolous, — 
altogether  beneath  the  dignity,  and  unw^orthy  of  the  atten- 
tion, of  enhghtened  and  educated  men  :  it  is  vastly  behind 
the  age : — 

III.  From  its  inutility  :  At  the  present  period,  when  know- 
ledge and  civilization  have  taught  the  nerves  to  vibrate  to 
the  touch  of  sympathy,  and  when  the  diffusion  of  Christiani- 
ty has  so  widely  cultivated  the  graces  of  philanthropy  and 
benevolence,  men  do  not  require  an  accumulation  of  barba- 
rously-constructed oaths,  to  compel  them  to  practise  the 
social  duties,  and  the  moral  and  charitable  virtues  : — 

IV.  From  its  inutility  in  another  respect :  In  an  age  and 
country  like  this,  where  the  freedom  of  speech  is  uncheck- 
ed ;  where  opinion  is  as  free  as  the  air  we  breathe,  and 
where  all  are  dwelling  in  the  broad  blaze  of  religious  light, 
symbolic  representations,  and  allegorical  emblems,  can  be 
of  little  use  in  imparting  ethical  instruction,  or  the  science 
of  theology,  to  adults,  of  either  sex : — 

V.  Its  legality  may  well  be  questioned :  All  extra-judicial 
oaths  are  uncalled  for,  and  improper,  if  not  contrary  to  the 
spirit  of  the  civil  law^s.  The  divine  command  is — "  swear 
NOT  AT  all"  : 

VI.  Attendance  upon  its  calls  and  its  duties,  occasions  a 
great  waste  of  time.  JNo  instruction  is  given  in  the  lodge- 
room,  now-a-days,  whatever  may  have  been  the  fact  in  times 
past,  either  in  literature  ;  or  in  the  arts  ;  or  in  the  exact  sci- 
ences. The  frequent  meetings  of  lodges,  w^hich  are  general- 
ly connected  with  public  houses,  is  very  liable,  moreover^ 
to  beget  idleness  and  dissipation,  especially  among  the 
weaker  brethren : — 

VII.  There  is  a  growing  jealousy  among  the  people,  of 
secret  societies,  their  character  and  influence  ;  and  there 


LETTER  XI.  123 

have   been  more  reasons  than  one,  to  warrant  that  jea- 
lousy : — : 

VIII.  If  the  institution  has  been  abused, — if  evils  have 
resuhed  from  it, — the  same  abuses,  and  the  Hke  evils,  may 
proceed  from  it  again. 

These  reasons,  to  my  mind,  are  abundantly  sufficient  to 
sustain  my  proposition  :  but,  if  there  be  any  vi^ho  think 
otherwise,  there  are  other  reasons  at  hand,  of  infinitely 
higher  moment,  not  only  rendering  such  a  measure  proper 
in  itself,  but  demanding  the  dissolution  of  the  institution 
in  a  voice  potent  as  thunder.  This  fact,  as  I  trust,  will 
be  made  most  satisfactorily  to  appear,  in  the  history  that  is 
to  follow. 

With  respectful  consideration,  I  am,  te. 


LETTER    XL 

New- York,  Jan.  25,  1832. 
Sir, 

In  the  pleasant  and  flourishing  village  of  Batavia,  the 
shire  town  of  Genesee  county,  in  this  state,  resided,  in  the 
years  1825-26,  a  man  by  the  name  of  WILLIAM  MOR- 
GAN. Perhaps  it  would  be  more  proper  to  speak  of 
him  as  "  a  sojourner"  in  Batavia,  "  and  the  region  round 
-*'  about,"  rather  than  as  a  permanent  resident.  As  this  Wil- 
liam Morgan  was  the  victim  of  the  dark  tragedy  which  is 
to  form  tiie  subject  of  the  following  narrative,  and  is  cer- 
tainly destined  to  live  in  history,  for  a  length  of  time  little 
anticipated  by  those  who  most  foully  made  way  with  him, 
some  preliminary  account  of  his  life  and  character  may  nat- 
urally be  expected.  I  have  exerted  myself  not  a  little  to 
procure  information  upon  both  points.  Of  the  former,  how- 
ever, little  can  be  ascertained.    Respecting  the  latter,  more 


124  LETTER  XI. 

can  be  said  than  will  do  good  to  his  memory.  But  I  shall 
"  drag  his  frailties  from  their  dread  abode,"  no  farther  than  is 
necessary  to  the  just  and  impartial  accompHshment  of  the 
present  history. 

Morgan's  last  place  of  residence,  previously  to  his  ap- 
pearance in  Genesee  county — for  it  was  in  Le  Roy,  a  vil- 
lage some  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  distant  from  Batavia,  that 
he  first  made  a  halt — was  Rochester.     He  was  a  native  of 
Culpepper  county,  Va.,  where  he  was  born  in  1775  or  1776. 
Of  his  life,  down  to  the  time  of  his  appearance  in  Roches- 
ter, as  I  have  already  intimated,  but  little  is  known.     Ma- 
ny stories  have  been  put  into  circulation  respecting  him,  as 
'well  by  those  who  have  thought  it  expedient  to  apotheosize 
him  for  the  advancement  of  their  political  purposes,  as  by 
those  other  individuals,  who  may  have  supposed  that  his 
blood  would  leave  a  lighter  stain  in  their  skirts,  if  they 
could  induce  the  public  to  believe  him  to  havd  been  unwor- 
thy of  the  life  that  was  taken  away  by  treachery  and  vio- 
lence.    Thus,  on  the  one  hand,  he  has  been  extolled  as  a 
man  of  virtuous  habits  and  principles,  who  had  borne  a 
captain's  commission  in  the  army,  of  which  he  had  proved 
himself  worthy,  in  sundry  engagements  in  the  southern 
campaigns  of  the  late  war  wdth  Great  Britain,  particularly 
in  the  signal  achievement  with  which  that  contest  was  clo- 
sed, at  New-Orleans.     On  the  other,  it  has  been  represent- 
ed that  he  was  a  pirate  in  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  during  the 
greater  i)art  of  the  v^^ar ; — that  he  w^as  one  of  the  celebrated 
gang  of  Lafitte,  infesting  the  Delta  of  the  Mississippi,  whose 
principal  rendezvous  was  upon  the  island  of  Barataria ; — 
and,  being  a  favorite  of  that  daring  freebooter,  w^as  some- 
times entrusted  with  the  command  of  separate  vessels  in 
their  desperate  service.     These  pirates,  you  will  recollect, 
were  pardoned  by  president  Madison,  on  the  eve  of  the  bat- 
tle of  New-Orleans,  in  which  brilliant  affair  they  were  re- 
ported to  have  done  excellent  service.     From  thence,  as  thg 


LETTER  XI.  125 

same  class  of  reports  inform  us,  Morgan  returned  to  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  led  a  dissolute  Ufe  until  the  year  1819; 
when,  it  is  added,  that,  with  the  assistance  of  a  gang  of 
reckless  associates,  he  took  the  young  girl  of  sixteen,  who 
subsequently  became  his  wife — Miss  Lucinda  Pendleton — 
by  force  from  beneath  her  father's  roof.  To  none  of  these 
relations  do  I  attach  the  least  credit  or  importance.  The 
narrative  of  his  military  career,  is  understood  to  be  one  of 
those  idle  tales  which  designing  men  have  found  it  conveni- 
ent to  usher  forth  to  the  public,  in  aid  of  their  own  sinister 
designs.  The  statement  of  his  having  been  attached  to  the 
pirate-gang  of  Lafitte,  in  the  absence  of  the  least  evidence 
of  the  fact,  may  be  set  down  as  a  calumny,  added  to  the 
guilt  of  murder ; — while  the  story  of  the  abduction  of  his 
wife  is  of  the  same  infamous  character.  Other  reports, 
cruel  as  the  grave,  touching  the  honor  of  the  lady,  were  put 
into  circulation  by  men  who  had  deprived  her  of  a  husband  ; 
but  those  generous  friends  who  espoused  her  cause,  and 
sought  so  diligently  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  the  laws, 
took  prompt  means  to  wipe  from  her  character  the  foul  im- 
putation ;  and  the  legal  evidence  of  her  marriage,  under  a 
license  from  the  court  of  Washington  county,  (Va.)  was  ob- 
tained, and  published  in  the  spring  of  1827.  The  simple 
fact  is,  that  Morgan,  by  his  own  confession,  was  a  private 
soldier  in  the  army,  and  nothing  more.  In  giving  an  ac- 
count of  his  military  career,  he  stated  that  he  was  in  "  most 
^*  of  the  battles  south  of  the  Potomac."  He  did  not  particu- 
larise, nor  did  he  ever  mention,  as  I  am  most  credibly  in- 
formed, the  battle  before  New-Orleans,  as  one  of  the  scenes 
of  his  own  exploits.  These  facts  are  derived  from  an  im- 
partial source — from  a  gentleman  in  whose  employ  Mor- 
gan was  once  engaged.  They  were  obtained  from  his  own 
lips,  and  are  therefore  to  be  received  as  true,  so  far  as  tlie 
principal  is  to  be  credited  as  a  witness  in  his  own  behalL 


126  LETTER  XI. 

Morgan  was  an  operative  mason  by  trade*  Those  who 
have  published  favorable  biographical  sketches  of  his  life, 
assert,  that,  by  an  industrious  application  to  his  business, 
in  Virginia,  he  had  accumulated  a  respectable  property  in 
1819.  It  was  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  that  he  marri- 
ed Miss  Lucinda  Pendleton,  whose  father,  I  am  told,  is,  or 
was,  a  respectable  preacher,  of  the  methodist  episcopal 
church.  Two  years  from  the  period  of  his  marriage,  he  re- 
moved from  Virginia,  to  York,  in  the  province  of  Upper 
Canada,  where  he  was  connected  with  a  brewery.  This 
establishment  being  subsequently  destroyed  by  fire,  he  re- 
moved back  again  to  the  United  States,  and  located  himself 
for  a  time  at  Rochester,  where  he  labored  at  his  former  oc- 
cupation, in  the  capacity  of  a  journeyman.  From  Roches- 
ter he  removed  to  the  county  of  Genesee. 

In  person  Morgan  was  of  middle  stature,  say  five  feet  six 
inches  in  height.  His  general  appearance,  for  a  man  of  low 
circumstances  in  life,  was  rather  prepossessing ; — a  com- 
pact and  well  turned  person,  with  a  high  forehead,  bald,  and  a 
quick,  intelligent,  but  sly  and  sinister-glancing  eye.  His 
education  had  been  nothing  more  than  that  received  in  a 
common  English  school ;  but  he  had  added  to  his  original 
stock  of  learning  by  considerable  reading  ;  and  being  a  man 
of  quick  intelligence,  and  rather  acute  observation,  he  was 
enabled  to  pass  as  a  sort  of  oracle  amongst  the  lower  class- 
es of  loungers  in  the  precincts  of  village  inns.  Indeed, 
whatever  may  have  been  his  course  of  life  previously  to  his 
residence  in  Canada,  his  indolence,  and  his  habits,  after  his 
return,  were  such  as  very  naturally  to  throw  him  into  the 
associations  of  such  a  circle.  Although  not  exactly  a  com- 
mon drunkard,  to  be  which,  according  to  certain  legal  de- 
cisions in  this  state,  it  is  required  that  a  man  must  be  in  a  state 
of  intoxication  more  than  one  half  of  the  time,  still  he  was 
continually  mingling  "  hot  rebellious  liquors  with  his  blood;" 


LETTER  XI.  iSt 

—his  nights,  and  sometimes  his  days  also,  were  spent  at  tip- 
pling-houses ;  while,  occasionally,  to  the  still  greater  neg- 
lect of  his  family,  he  joined  in  the  drunken  carousals  of  the 
vilest  and  most  worthless  of  men.  His  disposition  was  en- 
vious, malicious,  and  vindictive ;  as  I  am  assured  by  a  very 
estimable  and  pious  man  of  Genesee  county,  in  whose  vera- 
city I  have  the  fullest  confidence,  and  in  whose  employ 
Morgan  was  at  one  period  engaged. 

Such,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  is  a  fair  description  of  the 
character  of  William  Morgan.  He  was,  withal,  what  is 
termed,  among  the  craft,  "  a  bright  Mason," — or  rather,  he 
professed  to  be  such  ;  for,  as  it  will  presently  be  seen,  it  has 
been  questioned  whether  he  was  a  legitimate  member  of 
the  brotherhood.  Be  that  as  it  may,  however,  he  was  a 
very  excellent  proficient  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  three 
primitive  degrees  of  ancient  Freemasonry.  Too  indolent 
to  dig,  he  nevertheless  was  not  ashamed  to  beg — at  least 
from  his  masonic  brethren, — and  what  his  scanty  earnings 
lacked  in  affording  him  an  indifferent  and  precarious  sup- 
port, was  made  up  by  masonic  charities, — in  devising  means 
to  procure  which,  he  was  remarkably  ingenious.  It  is  one 
of  the  faults  of  the  institution,  that  it  not  unfrequently  pro- 
duces just  such  oracles  of  its  wisdom — cunning  and  artful 
men,  having  an  air  of  the  shabby-genteel ; — with  col- 
loquial powers  rather  above  the  ordinary  range  of  uneduca- 
ted persons  ; — while,  at  the  same  time,  it  furnishes  enough 
of  weaker  brethren,  to  form  a  listening  circle,  sufficient  in 
numbers  to  add  to  the  imaginary  importance  of  the  oracle, 
and  happy  in  the  privilege  of  contributing  to  the  temporal 
wants  of  such  travelling  luminaries. 

The  original  difficulties  between  Morgan  and  his  mason^ 
ic  brethren  of  Genesee,  sprung,  as  it  is  believed,  from  a 
Combination  of  untov/ard  circumstances.  While  residing 
at  Le  Roy,  transiently,  or  otherwise,  he  became  intimately 
associated  with  Maj.  James  Ganson,  a  man  of  respectable 


128  LETTER  XI. 

Standing,  who  had  formerly  been  a  member  of  our  state  Ic-^ 
gislature,  and  also  sherifT  of  Genesee  county.  It  was 
at  Le  Roy  that  Morgan  was  exalted  to  the  degree  of  a  Roy- 
al Arch  Mason,  on  the  avouchment  of  Ganson,  as  to  his 
knowledge  and  skill  in  the  preceding  degrees.  But  it  is 
affirmed,  that  the  brethren  at  the  west  could  never  ascertain 
in  what  lodge,  or  w^hether  in  any,  Morgan  had  commenced 
his  masonic  career  ;  and  some  doubts  arose  whether  he  had 
not,  after  all  his  boasted  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  the 
order,  succeeded  in  palming  himself  upon  them  as  a  true 
mason,  while  in  fact  he  was  an  impostor.  At  about  the 
same  time,  the  masonic  edifice,  at  Le  Roy,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  Knights  Templars,  was  projected.  Upon 
this  building  Morgan  had  a  contract  to  labor,  but,  by  some 
means,  he  was  disappointed,  and  mutual  heart-burnings 
upon  this  subject,  followed  between  himself  and  Ganson. 

Such  was  the  posture  of  affairs  at  Le  Roy,  whence  the 
scene  now  shifts  to  Batavia,  which  had  become  Morgan's 
more  permanent  place  of  residence.  Here,  another  occur- 
rence transpired,  which  at  once  placed  "  a  great  gulf  be- 
"  tw^een"  him  and  his  brother  Masons,  and  aroused  his  angry 
feelings  to  the  highest  pitch  of  resentment.  It  was  early  in 
the  year  1826,  that  the  few  Royal  Arch  Masons  of  Bata- 
via, determined  to  apply  to  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  state, 
for  a  charter  to  constitute  a  chapter  in  that  village.  By 
some  means  or  other,  contrary  to  the  desire  of  the  more 
respectable  portion  of  the  applicants,  the  petition  w-as  pre- 
sented to  Morgan,  who,  as  might  have  been  expected,  very 
readily  added  his  signature  to  the  names  already  upon  it. 
In  masonic  usage,  it  is  a  matter  of  course  that  all  the  sign- 
ers of  an  application  for  a  lodge  or  chapter,  become  regu- 
lar members,  when  such  lodge  or  chapter  is  instituted.  "  So 
"  it  is  written  in  the  bond."  But  Morgan's  character  had 
now  become  so  well  understood,  and  his  habits  so  bad,  that 
his  association  w*as  not  desired  among  the  original  promo^ 


LETTER  XI.  129 

ters  of  the  object.  They  consequently  destroyed  the  first 
petition,  and  set  another  on  foot  secretly,  by  which  the  char- 
ter was  obtained  ;  and  in  which,  on  its  arrival,  Morgan 
was  surprised  and  mortified  to  find  that  his  own  name  was 
not  inserted.  He  could  now  become  an  associate  only  by 
the  unanimous  consent  of  the  more  fortunate  members  ;  and 
as  that  consent  could  not  be  obtained,  he  was  of  course 
excluded.  Stung  with  rage  at  this  treatment  from  his 
"companions,"  it  is  presumed  that  he  was  not  long  inform- 
inor  resolutions  of  reven<::ce. 

There  was  another  person  who  was  an  important  actor 
in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  Morgan  business,  whom  it  now 
becomes  necessary  to  introduce  upon  the  stage.     I  allude  to 
Col.  David  C.  Miller,  then,  as  now,  the  editor  of  a  village 
paper  published  in  Batavia.     Miller  was  a  man  of  respecta- 
ble talents,  but  of  irreligious  character,  great  laxity  of  moral 
principle,  and  of  intemperate  habits  ;  which  latter,  however, 
I  have  since  heard,  with  great  satisfaction,  have  been  re- 
formed.    His  conduct  had  alienated  his  best  and  most  sub- 
stantial political  friends,  and  a  rival  newspaper  had  just 
been  established  by  his  old  political  associates,  at  about  the 
time  of  Morgan's  removal   to  that  place.     These  circum- 
stances had  occasioned  Miller  great  pecuniary  and  political 
depression ;  and  there  was  little  of  moral  principle  to  deter 
him  from  embarking  in  any  enterprise  affording  a  promise 
of  retrieving  his  declining  fortunes.     Miller  had  many  years 
before  taken  the  entered  apprentice's  degree,  in  Albany — 
and  this  was  all  he  knew  of  Masonry.     But  a  similarity  of 
tastes  and  habits  had  brought  him  and  Morgan  into  the  re- 
lations of  intimate  association,  and  it  was  but  natural  that 
they  should  discourse  to  each  other  of  their  private  griefs. 
Morgan  had  commenced  writing  something  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  Freemasonry,  for  what  purpose  it  is  not  known,  as 
early  as  the  winter  or  spring  of  1825.     He  was  at  a  mason- 
ic hotel  in  this  city^  for  a  short  time,  in  the  course  of  that 

17 


130  LETTER  XI. 

year,  and  was  olteii  closeted  with  a  man  of  considerable 
talents,  and  some  scholarship,  who  had  been  expelled  from 
the  fraternity  the  preceding  year,  for  a  breach  of  his  ma- 
sonic faith,  in  writing  and  exhibiting  certain  masonic  mat- 
ters that  were  then  supposed  to  be  unwritten.  Parts  of  his 
manuscripts  had  been  shown  by  Morgan  to  his  friends,  be- 
fore the  occurrence  of  the  difficulties  I  have  specified,  and 
before,  as  it  was  supposed,  he  had  any  idea  of  making  the 
publication  ;  although  I  strongly  suspect  that  he  purposed, 
eventually,  to  betray  the  masonic  secrets  from  the  outset. 
Such  is  the  natural  inference,  from  the  character  of  his  prin- 
cipal associate,  during  his  visit  to  this  city  ;  and  while  here, 
he  was  urgent  in  his  inquiries  of  a  masonic  acquaintance  of 
mine,  as  to  the  place  of  residence  of  a  masonic  brother  some- 
where in  New- Jersey,  where,  or  of  whom,  as  he  said,  he 
hoped  to  obtain  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  the  higher  de- 
grees. Be  that,  however,  as  it  may,  after  his  rejection  from 
the  new  Batavia  chapter,  in  the  manner  above  related,  he 
was  suddenly  transformed  from  an  ardent  and  zealous  friend 
of  the  masonic  institution,  into  its  public,  determined,  and 
inveterate  foe  ;  and,  having  become  possessed  of  the  fact  oi" 
the  existence  of  his  manuscripts.  Miller  at  once  conceived 
the  idea  of  turning  them  to  their  mutual  pecuniary  advan- 
tage. This  was  his  first  and  only  object,  naturally  suggest- 
ed by  his  increasing  wants,  and  by  a  stock  of  principle  only 
proportioned  to  his  interest.  Morgan's  imaginary  wrongs, 
granting  even  that  he  had  not  before  contemplated  making 
the  disclosures,  made  him  a  willing  listener  to  propositions 
artfully  made.  Thus  the  bargain  was  struck  ;  partners 
were  enlisted  who  were  to  furnish  the  means  of  publishing 
the  book,  and  to  share  the  profits  ;  which,  by  Miller's  own 
subsequent  confession,  it  was  supposed  would  be  very  great. 
I  am,  sir,  with  high  respect,  &c. 


LETTER  XII.  131 


LETTER  XIL 

New- York,  Jan.  30,  1832, 
Sir, 

The  design  of  Morgan  to  publish  a  full  disclosure  of 
the  secret  rites  and  ceremonies  of  Freemasonry,  and  hm 
partnership,  for  that  purpose,  with  Miller  and  others,  w^ere 
soon  known  to  the  public.  In  fact  the  intended  publication 
was  announced  openly,  and  without  disguise,  early  in  the 
summer  of  1826.  Little  attention,  however,  was  paid  to 
the  subject  for  some  weeks.  The  more  respectable  and  in- 
telligent portion  of  the  fraternity  gave  no  heed  to  it ; — others 
supposed  the  project  was  merely  to  supply  travelling  chap- 
men with  an  additional  stock  of  marvels  ; — whilst  others, 
yet,  believed  that  should*  any  publication  be  made,  it  would 
fall  still-born  from  the  press,  attracting  no  more  attention, 
and  commanding  no  more  confidence,  than  did  the  neglect- 
ed book  known  by  the  title  of  "Jachin  and  Boaz."  By  de- 
grees, however,  some  little  agitation  began  to  disclose  itself 
by  whispers,  and  low  murmurs,  and  occasional  movements 
among  "  the  lesser  lights"  of  Masonry.  But  these  move- 
ments, however  slight  at  first,  like  the  gentle  currents  of  air 
that,  before  a  tempest,  at  first  scarcely  rustle  among  the 
leaves  of  the  forest,  which  is  doomed  speedily  to  bend  and 
break  before  its  violence?  were  the  precursors  of  a  storm,  that 
Jias  swept  with  wild  and  desolating  power  over  a  wide  por- 
tion of  our  country,  and  which  it  may  yet  require  years  to 
allay.  Day  after  day  the  uneasiness  among  the  brotherhood 
was  observed  to  increase  ;  and  the  circle  of  those  persons 
manifesting  their  ill-concealed  restlessness  and  apprehen* 


13&  LETTER  XII. 

sion,  was  continually  extending  its  circumference.  These- 
symptoms  were  exactly  what  the  projectors  of  the  work 
most  desired.  Should  the  book  be  ushered  forth  unoppo- 
sed, and  unnoticed,  no  faith  would  be  placed  in  its  contents, 
and  few  sales  would  reward  the  pubhshers.  But  the  mo- 
tnent  it  should  become  evident  to  the  community,  that  the 
Masons  themselves  were  seriously  opposed  to  the  book, 
they  could  but  perceive  that  the  curiosity  of  the  public 
would  be  irresistable,  and  the  demand  for  the  work  unlimi- 
ted. Threats  at  length  began  to  be  heard  in  whispers,  that 
the  Masons  were  determined,  by  some  means,  to  suppress 
the  book  ;  and  discussions  concerning  the  matter  were 
most  injudiciously  admitted  into  the  newspapers ; — thereby 
contributing  to  quicken  the  kindling  flame,  and  causing  ma- 
ny more  of  Miller's  subscribers  to  withdraw  from  the  sup- 
port of  his  paper. 

It  was  at  about  this  stage  of  the  difficulty,  that,  as  it  is  be- 
lieved a  negotiation,  was  entered  into  between  the  Masong 
and  Morgan.  They  had  some  conferences,  and  strongly 
expostulated  with  him  against  the  course  he  was  pursuing. 
Morgan  appeared  to  relent  in  his  purposes,  but  complained 
of  being  so  connected  with  Miller,  that  he  found  it  difficult 
to  extricate  himself.  The  result  of  these  negotiations, 
was,  that  Morgan  apparently  fepentcd  of  his  design,  and 
agreed  to  suppress  the  proposed  publication  ;  and  he  even 
went  so  far  as  to  deliver  up  his  manuscripts,  protesting  that 
those  which  he  surrendered,  embraced  the  whole.  In  a 
short  time  afterwards,  however,  it  was  ascertained  that 
Morgan  had  been  doubly  treacherous  ;  and  that,  while  he 
pretended  honestly  to  relinquish  his  purpose,  and  give  up 
bis  papers,  he  had  deceived  them  with  imperfect  draughts, 
and  fragments  of  copies,  while  the  copy  prepared  for  pub- 
lication, was,  at  the  very  time,  in  the  possession  of  Millen- 
who  was  then  proceeding  witii  the  work. 


LETTER  XII.  13S 

Connected  with  the  last-mentioned  feature  of  the  transac- 
tions under  review,  wxre  certain  advertisements  respecting 
Morgan,  which  appeared  in  sundry  newspapers,  and  of 
which  great  use  has  been  made  by  the  anti-masonic  party. 
Morgan,  as  I  have  intimated  in  tiie  preceding  letter,  was  in 
the  habit  of  visiting  his  masonic  brethren,  in  the  principal  vil- 
lages of  that  section  of  country,  and  living  much  of  the  time 
upon  their  friendly  bounty.     He  had  l-een  to  Canandaiguaj 
a  few  months  before  the  period  of  w^iich  I  am  now  writing ; 
and  among  the  first  consequences  of  the  deception  he  had 
practised,  in  pretending  to  surrender  his  manuscripts,  was 
an  advertisement  in  one  of  the  Canandaigua  papers,  in  the 
words  following  : — "  Notice  and  caution.     If  a  man  calling 
"  himself  William  Morgan   should  intrude  himself  on  the 
"  community,  they  should  be  on  their  guard,  particularly 
*'  the  masonic  fraternity.     Morgan  was  in  this  village  in 
"  May  last,  and  his  conduct,  while  here,  and  elsewhere,  calls 
"  forth  this  notice.     Any  information,  in  relation  to  Morgan, 
"  can  be  obtained  by  calling  at  the  masonic  hall  in  this  vil- 
*'  lage.     Brethren  and  companions  are  particularly  request- 
"  ed  to  observe,  mark,  and  govern  themselves  accordingly. 
"  Morgan  is  considered  a  swindler,  and  a  dangerous  man. 
*'  There  are  people  in  this  village  who  would  be  glad  to  see 
"  this  Capt.  Morgan.     Canaiidaigua,  Aug,  9,  1826."     This 
notice  was  copied  into  the  Batavia  papers  with  great  alacri- 
ty ;  and,  in  a  very  short  time  afterwards,  a  paragraph,  of 
similar  import,  was  inserted  in  the  paper  published  at  Black 
Rock,  with  an  additional  statement,  that  the  fraternity  had 
"  amply  provided"  themselves  against  Morgan's  impostures, 
and  his   swindling  propensities.     Great  pains  have  been 
taken  to  create  an  impression,  that  both  publications  were 
written  in  view  of  the  arrangements  then  making  for  the 
tragic  event  which  followed.     But  such,  I  am  free  to  assert, 
and  I  do  it  with  all  confidence,  was  not  the  fact.     And  si- 
though  it  is  an  interruption  to  the  regular  progress  of  the 


134  LETTER  XII. 

transactions  which  now  begin  to  accumulate  on  liiy  hands^ 
still,  justice  requires  that  these  publications  should  be  pla- 
ced in  their  proper  light ;  and  this  feature  of  the  subject 
may  as  well  be  disposed  of  here,  as  elsewhere.  The  charge 
of  Morgan's  being  an  impostor,  was  founded  upon  the  sus- 
picion of  Maj.  Ganson,  and  others,  that  he  was  not  a  true 
Mason  in  the  first  three  degrees,  and  had  therefore  obtained 
his  exaltation  to  the  higher  orders,  by  fraudulent  represen- 
tations. That  of  being  a  swindler,  rested  upon  the  fact 
which  will  more  prominently  appear  presently,  viz :  the 
borrowing,  by  Morgan,  of  some  wearing  apparel  at  Canan- 
daigua,  which  he  did  not  return.  The  masonic  caution 
near  the  close  of  the  advertisement,  has  no  peculiar  or  dan- 
gerous signification,  as  has  been  alledged  ;  and  the  whole 
paragraph,  is,  in  truth,  and  in  fact,  nothing  more  than  a  re- 
gular masonic  advertisement,  such  as  "have  been  common, 
time  immemorial,  to  put  the  brethren  on  their  guard  against 
unworthy  and  expelled  members.  Still  more,  however,  has 
been  made  of  the  Black  Rock  publication,  particularly  in 
consequence  of  the  w^ords  "  amply  provided."  From  this 
phrase  it  has  been  industriously  argued,  that  provision  for 
the  murder  of  Morgan  had  even  thus  early  been  made ; 
whereas,  at  this  period,  there  is  no  reason  whatever  to  sup- 
pose, that  any  measure  which  should  result  in  Morgan's 
personal  harm,  had  been  even  remotely  contemplated.  But 
so  much  use  has  been  made  of  the  paragraph  referred  to, 
that  I  have  taken  especial  pains  to  investigate  the  whole 
matter.  The  result  is,  to  me,  perfectly  satisfactory.  I 
know  the  author  of  that  publication  well  ;  and  equally  well 
do  I  know  him  to  be  utterly  incapable  of  countenancing  an 
unlawful  transaction  involving  moral  guilt.  The  facts  are 
simply  these  : — The  author  of  the  paragraph  in  question, 
took  up  his  residence  at  Buffalo,  in  1822.  He  was  in  the 
habit  of  scribbling  articles  for  the  Buffalo  and  Black  Rock 
papers  ;  but,  although  a  Mason,  neither  had  he  before,  the 


LETTER  XIl.  135 

Morgan  outrage,  nor  has  he  since  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
the  lodges  there.  This  gentleman  had  seen  the  Canandaigua 
advertisement,  but  knew  nothing  further  of  Morgan,  than 
that  he  was  represented  as  a  man  who  was  travelling  about 
the  country,  and  sponging  a  living  from  members  of  the 
fraternity.  An  erroneous  article  had  been  published  in  the 
Black  Rock  Gazette,  and  the  paragraph  under  considera- 
tion was  written  to  correct  it.  He  took  the  paragraph  to 
the  office  in  his  own  hand  ;  the  chirography  was  not  dis- 
guised ;  the  authorship  was  never  questioned,  or  denied ; 
nor  was  the  paragraph  itself  arraigned  as  breathing  a  threat 
of  murder,  until  the  gentleman,  many  months  afterwards, 
became  a  partner  in  another  paper,  which  was  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  anti-masonic  party.  It  was  then,  only,  that  he 
was  assailed,  as  having  spoken  daggers,  although  it  had 
been  merely  his  intention  to  say,  that,  by  unmasking  an  un- 
worthy pretender,  the  fraternity  had  "  amply  provided" 
against  his  future  extortions  from  those  whose  bounty  he 
had  claimed  as  a  brother.  The  author  knew  nothing  of  the 
outrages  against  Morgan's  person,  until  after  they  had 
been  perpetrated ;  and  granting  even  that  the  intentions 
of  the  Masons  of  Batavia,  whatever  they  at  first  might 
have  been,  were  known  in  the  lodge  of  Buffalo,  this  gentle- 
man, from  his  entire  neglect  of  masonic  affairs,  would  hard- 
ly have  been  consulted,  or  in  any  manner  advised  in  the 
premises.  The  editor  of  the  paper  in  which  the  note  was 
published,  moreover,  was  not  a  Mason ;  and  it  is  absurd  to 
suppose  that  a  writer  who  was  plotting  murder,  would 
have  selected  such  a  channel  to  throw  out  his  signals. 

The  mutterins^s  of  the  storm  beffan  shortlv  to  be  heard  at 
a  lesser  and  still  a  lesser  distance.  The  Masons  were  ob- 
served to  assemble  in  clusters,  as  though  in  anxious  consul- 
tation. Miller  was  vexatiously  prosecuted  for  sundry  small 
debts,  and  the  collection  forced  with  unusual  harshness, 
Tlureats  were  darkly  Iiintcd,  that  the  mtended  publication. 


136  LETTER  XII. 

should  at  all  events  be  suppressed ;  and  Miller,  becoming 
actually  alarmed  for  his  own  personal   safety,  or  aifecting 
to  be  so,  took  measures  for  defending  himself  in  the  event 
of  an  assault.     Morgan  himself  was  likewise  harrassed  by 
the  law ;  and  it  appears  that  there  were  actual  demands 
against  him,  justifying  recourse  to  this  last  expedient  for  the 
collection  of  debts.     He  had  recently  been  prosecuted  in 
the  Supreme  Court,  for  a  heavy  debt  owing  in  Rochester, 
and  execution  being  issued,  was  bailed  upon  the  goal  limits 
by  Nahum  Loring  and  Orange  Allen.     In  the  midst  of  the 
excitement  moreover  which  was  now  growing  up  in  the  vil- 
lage, (i.  e.  on  the  25th  of  July,    1826,)  he  was  committed  to 
the  custody  of  the  sheriff  of  Genesee,  at  the  suit  of  Nathan 
Follett,  and  was  again  bailed  upon  the  limits.     These  latter 
circumistances,  sir,  will  probably  strike  you  as  being  alto- 
gether unimportant  in  a  narrative  like  the  present.  In  them- 
selves they  are  so ;  but  they  will  nevertheless  be  found  to 
have  important  bearings  in  the  sequel.  A  variety  of  schemes 
were  now  on  foot  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  dreaded 
work,  and  among  these,  in  order  in  some  way  to  extort  the 
surrender  of  his  manuscripts,  was  the  device  of  entangling 
the  author  in  the  meshes  of  the  law,  as  the  spider  involves 
the  struggling  fly  in  the  perplexities  of  his  web.     Another 
plan  was,  to  circumvent  both  author  and  publisher,  by  pro- 
curing an  artful  accomplice  to  insinuate  himself  into  their 
confidence,  so  far  as  to  become  a  partner ;  by  which  means, 
it  was  presumed,  he  would  be   able,  at  some  stage  of  the 
work,  eflbctually  to  destroy  it.     Such  an  instrument  w^s 
found  in  the  person  of  a  man  calhng  himself  Daniel  Johns, 
for  whom  they  sent  a  long  distance  into  Canada,  at  the  ex- 
pense, as  it  subsequently  appeared,  of  the  encampment  at 
Rochester.  On  his  arrival  in  Batavia,  Johns  put  up  at  a  hotel. 
Being  a  man  of  plausible  address,  and  great  cunning,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  ingratiating  himself  into  Miller's  confidence,  and 
having  plenty  of  money  to  advance  in  the  enterprise,  he 


LETTER  Xll.  137 

was  received  as  a  partner,  and  into  full  confidence.  Gan- 
son  seems  to  have  been  the  employer  and  instigator  of 
Johns.  But  his  success  in  destroying  the  papers,  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  complete  ;  although  during  their  ope- 
rations, Ganson  boasted  that  he  had  spirited  av^^ay  a  part  of 
the  copy,  and  left  the  work  in  such  a  condition  that  Miller 
could  not  proceed  with  it. 

Morgan,  with  his  family,  was  boarding  at  this  time,  in  the 
compact  part  of  the  village  of  Batavia  ;  but  for  the  double 
purpose  of  security  and  retirement,  while  engaged  in  com- 
posing his  book,  he  occupied  an  upper  room  by  himself,  in  the 
house  of  a  Mr.  David,  in  a  distant  and  less  public  part  of 
the  town.  On  the  18th  of  August,  while  engaged  in  his 
place  of  retirement,  three  persons,  named  Johnson  Good- 
will, Kelsey  Stone,  and  John  Wilson,  residents  of  the  vil- 
lage, but  holding  no  official  situations,  in  company  with  the 
constable  of  the  town  of  Pembroke,  fourteen  miles  distant, 
named  Daniel  H.  Dana,  came  to  the  house  of  David,  for 
whom  they  at  Mrst  inquired  ;  but  no  sooner  had  they  enter- 
ed upon  the  premises,  than  they  rushed  up  into  Morgan's 
apartment,  where  he  was  then  engaged  in  writing,  and 
seized  upon  his  person  by  virtue  of  an  execution,  together 
with  all  the  papers  there  to  be  found.  Morgan  was  instant- 
ly hurried  oif  to  prison,  without  being  allowed  a  moment's 
time  to  procure  bail  for  the  liberties  ; — the  sheriff,  who  had 
been  observed  hovering  near  at  the  time  of  the  arrest,  join- 
ing the  party,  and  vv^alking  with  tiiem  to  the  prison.  This 
was  of  a  Saturday  afteraoon  ;  and  as  a  matter  of  course, 
unless  Morgan  should  procure  bail  before  the  commence- 
ment of  vSunday,  he  would  be  compelled  to  remain  in  close 
confinement,  until  Monday.  No  sooner,  however,  liad  the 
prisoner's  ftiends  heard  of  his  arrest,  than  they  came  for- 
ward to  procure  his  enlargement  by  bailing  him  out.  But 
from  the  moment  the  key  was  turned,  until  after  12  o'clock 

at  niQ:ht,  Vv^hea  it  had  become  too  late  to  transact  secuistv 

18 


IBB  LETTER  XII. 

business,  neither  the  sheriii'nor  the  jailor  could  be  found, 
although  every  possible  exertion  was  made  for  that  purpose. 
In  the  absence  of  both  these  officers,  there  was  of  course  no 
one  present  who  could  let  the  olTending  debtor  to  bail.    Ear- 
ly in  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Goodwill,  and  the  con- 
stable Dana,  together  with  Mr.  Thomas  M'CuUy,  the  credi- 
tor at  whose  suit  Morgan  was  now  in  prison,  proceeded  to 
the  boarding  house  of  the  latter,  and  entered  the  apartment 
of  Mrs.  Morgan,  which  was  in  the  second  story,  and  de- 
manded if  there  w^ere  any  property  to  satisfy  the  execution. 
Mrs.  M.  protested  that  they  had  nothing.     The   creditor 
then  went  below ;  but  the  officer,  with  Goodwill,  pretending 
not  to  be  satisfied,  commenced  a  general  search,  tumbling 
over  trunks  and  boxes,  and  examining  whatever  papers  and 
letters  came  in  their  way.     Finding  one   small  trunk  con- 
taining a  few  papers,  they  seized  upon  and  carried  it  off, — 
assuring  Mrs.  M.  that  should  they  find  any  papers  therein 
of  consequence  to   her   husband,  they  would  be  returned. 
While,  however,  these  people  were  thus  employed  above 
stairs,  a  confession  escaped  the  hps  of  the  creditor  below., 
which  at  once  establishes  the  foul  nature  of  this  whole  trans- 
action,— proving  it,  beyond  question,  to  have  been  the  com- 
mencement of  that  series  of  abuses  of  the  civil  law,  which 
have  since  so  repeatedly  occurred,  in  connexion,  more  or 
less  direct,  with  this  subject.     M'Cully  then  and  there  ad- 
mitted, to  a  young  woman  in  the  house,  that,  although  he 
should  like  well  enough  to  find  property  sufficient  to  satisfy 
his  debt ;  yet,  "  he  cared  not  so  much  about  that,  as  he  did 
"  to  get  some  papers  belonging  to  Morgan."     On  finding- 
one  of  the  trunks  locked,  and   being  told  the  name  of  the 
owner,  he  said  "  he  did  not  wish  that  to  be  examined,  as  the 
"  owner  was  a  Royal  Arch  Mason." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  comment  on  the  total  illegality 
of  this  latter  transaction.  Having  the. body  of  the  debtor  in 
custody  on  final  process,  the  debt  was  satisfied  in  the  eye  of 


LETTER  XII.  139 

the  law ;  and  the  vdiole  proceeding,  as  related  to  the  seizure 
of  the  property,  was  a  flagrant  trespass,  for  which  all  the 
parties  concerned  were  liable  to  prosecution,  and  the  con- 
stable to  punishment.  But  it  must  be  admitted  here,  that 
it  was  all  worse  than  a  trespass  from  the  beginning, 

Morgan  remained  in  prison,  of  necessity,  until  Monday, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  bail.     During  Sunday,  he  was 
visited  by  many  of  the  Masons  who  were  interesting  them- 
selves to  induce  him  to  relinquish  the  publication  of  their 
mysteries.     But  no  particulars  of  their  conferences,  so  far 
as  1  am  informed,  have  transpired.     There  can  be  little 
doubt,  however,  that  the  sole  and  entire  object  of  this  whole 
proceeding,  was  to  coerce  their  prisoner  into  a  sm-render 
of  his  all-important  manuscripts.     It  was  for  this  purpose, 
and  none  other,  that  the  execution  had  been  issued  ;  that  it 
had  been  thus  indecently  served  ;  that  the  sheriff,  and  his 
jailor,  and  the  deputy,  had  disappeared,  and   remained  in 
concealment,  until  it  became  too  late  for  Morgan  to  avail 
himself,  until  another  week,  of  the  humane  provision  which 
even  a  barbarous  law  has  made  for  the  comfort  of  those 
who  might  otherwise  remain  forever  immured  within  bolts 
and  bars,  for  the  crime  of  indebtedness.     In  one  .word,  it 
was  a  shameful  prostitution  of  the  forms  of  law,  for  the  at- 
tainment of  a  private  purpose,  w^hich,  if  forcibly   accom- 
plished, would  also  have  been  illegal.     Failing  in  the  first 
object  of  their  visit  at  Morgan's  private  roona,  and  also  in 
their  search  of  his  wife's  apartment,  time  was  wanting  to 
efiect  their  purpose  in  some  other  way.     His  confinement 
in  prison,  might,  peradventure,  operate  upon  his  fears.    The 
soft  arts  of  persuasion,  under  such  circumstances,  might  be 
used  with  better  effect.     Or,  if  necessary,  the  harsher  means 
of  intimidation  might  be  resorted  to,  when  the  victim  was 
thus  completely  within  their  power.     But  neither   threats 
nor  entreaties  were  found  availing. 

Accept,  six,  tlie  assurances  of  my  high  regard. 


140  LETTER  XIII, 


LETTER  XIll. 

New- York,  Feb.  1,  1832. 
Sir, 

During  the  fifteen  or  twenty  days  immediately  suc- 
ceeding the  occurrences  mentioned  in  my  last  letter,  the  ex- 
citement continued  rapidly  to  increase  ;  and  the  number  of 
strangers  suddenly  appearing  and  disappearing,  at  Batavia, 
without  apparently  having   any  particular  business  in  the 
village,  awakened  unpleasant  suspicions.     Some    further 
publications  were  made  in  the  newspapers,  and  among  them 
was  an  essay,  on  the  1st  of  September,  intended,  probably, 
to  allay  the  fever,  by  inducing  the  Masons  to  believe  that  there 
was  not  the  slightest  danger  of  their  favorite  though  unsubstan- 
tial edifice  being  overturned — declaring  that  it  had  outlived 
Thebes  and  Palmyra,  Troy  and  Babylon, — and  that  neither 
"  the  thunders  of  royal  indignation,"  nor  "  the  lightnings  of 
"popular  fury,"  nor  "ihe  malice  or  treachery  of  man,"  could 
shake  its  time-honored  walls,  which,  sustained  by  "  wisdom, 
"  strength  and  beauty,"  would  stand  until  the  last  day  of 
doom, — or  rather,  to  continue  my  quotation  from  the  essay 
itself, — despite  of  ail  these,  "  it  would  endure  till   the  last 
"  syllable  of  recorded  time."*     But  it  was  all  to  no  purpose. 
It  became  daily  more  manifest  that  there  was  a  growing 
determination  to  suppress  the  intended  publication,  at  any 

*  Brown's  history  of  the  excitement.  Surely,  in  tlie  essay  to  which  I 
have  referred,  the  author  could  not  have  been  any  farther  serious,  than 
in  bis  design  to  pacify  his  weaker  brethren.  If  he  really  believed,  him- 
self^ what,  lie  said,  the  delusion  must  have  left  him  before  now.  The 
"  ifisf/om"  of  the  order,  he  mentions  as  one  of  its  pillars.  This  is  mii- 
Bonic,  I  know.  But  it  reminds  me  of  a  remark  made  by  Gen.  Lafayette,  at 
the  time  the  Masons  were  pulling  the  good  old  General  about  in  this  city, 
striving  among  each  other  for  the  honor  of  giving  him  some  of  the  hiirher,  de- 
grees. "To-morrow,"  said  he,  *T  am  to  visit  the  schools;  I  am  to  dine 
with  the  mayor;  and  in  the  evening  I  suppose  I  am  to  be  made  very  wise  by 
the  Freemasons !"  I  never  shall  forget  the  arch  look  with  which  he  uttered 
the  irony. 


LETTER  XIII.  141 

and  every  hazard.  And  it  has  been  asserted  that  even  thus 
early,  "  the  intenseness  of  their  anxiety  betrayed  the  par- 
^'  ties,  in  very  many  instances,  into  an  avowal  of  intentions 
"  and  feeUngs,  showing  how  httle  they  were  disposed  to  re- 
"gard  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  the  lives  of  their  fellow 
*'  citizens,  if  the  violation  of  the  first,  and  the  destruction  of 
"  the  second,  should  become  necessary  to  efi'ect  that  ob- 
"ject."* 

The  next  measure  resolved  on  for  accomplishing  the  de- 
struction of  the  manuscripts,  was  a  night  attack  upon  the 
printing  office  of  Miller,  in  the  hope  of  seizing  either  the 
copy,  or,  if  printed,  the  sheets  of  the  work,  or  both.  In- 
deed they  had  reason  to  suppose,  from  certain  information, 
that  portions  of  the  work  were  printed,  and  nearly  ready 
for  distribution ;  another  portion  was  also  said  to  be  in  type» 
and  nearly  ready  for  the  press.  For  the  execution  of  this  en- 
terprise, forces  to  the  number  of  between  forty  and  fifty 
men,  were  collected  from  the  ranks  of  the  faithful  in  the 
surrounding  country,  — for  the  excitement  among  the  craft 
had  now  become  very  extensive, — and  a  rendezvous  estab- 
lished at  the  public  house  kept  by  James  Ganson,  at  the 
village  of  Stafford,  six  miles  distant  from  Batavia,  to  which 
place  he  had  removed  from  Le  Roy.  It  has  been  given  in 
evidence  that  some  of  the  persons  collected  for  the  execu- 
tion of  this  branch  of  the  conspiracy,  came  from  a  long  dis- 
tance— several  even  from  Upper  Canada.  A  number  went 
upon  this  expedition  from  Buffalo,  and  twenty-five  were 
expected  from  Fort  George.  Supper  had  been  bespoken 
at  Ganson's  for  this  company,  for  the  night  of  the  8th  of 
September, — a.t  wJiich  time  and  place  they  assembled,  and 
at  a  late  hour  of  the  night,  proceeded  on  the  expedition, 
under  the  conduct  of  Col.  Edward  Sawyer,  a  high  Mason, 
of  Canandaigua.     Before  the  conspirators  had  arrived  at 

-*  Pccportof  the  Lcwiston  committee. 


142  LETTER  XIII. 

the  printing  office,  however,  they  were  informed  that,  by 
some  means.  Miller  had  been  apprised  of  their  intended  at- 
tack upon  his  castle,  and  had  consequently  made  prepara- 
tions for  defending  it.  He  had  indeed  collected  some  fire- 
arms for  the  occasion  ;  and  so  w^ell  satisfied  were  the  inva- 
ders of  the  fact,  and  so  little  disposed  were  they  to  jeopard 
their  own  lives  or  limbs  withal,  even  in  the  cause  of  Free- 
masonry, that  the  assault  was  relinquished,  and  the  forces, 
in  the  gray  of  the  morning,  dispersed.  Some  of  the  party 
returned  back  to  the  place  of  their  evening's  rendezvous, 
where  Col.  Saw^yer  was  bitterly  reproached  for  the  coward- 
ice which  had  resulted  in  the  entire  failure  of  such  a  formi- 
dable expedition.  One  of  the  causes  assigned  for  the  dis- 
persion, was  the  arrival  of  the  western  stage,  before  they 
had  concluded  upon  their  measures,  thereby  rendering  dis- 
covery more  likely, before  they  could  proceed  to  the  work ; — 
but  it  was  unquestionably  the  villainous  smell  of  saltpetre, 
which  caused  them  to  hesitate,  and  ultimately  to  disband 
themselves, — each  one  taking  the  best  care  of  himself  that 
he  could. 

But  the  design  upon  the  printing  office  was  not  yet  aban- 
doned, and  a  yet  more  atrocious  crime  was  attempted 
within  two  days  afterwards.  It  is  only  by  degrees  that 
men  become  criminal.  And  how  often  would  the  lesser 
crime  go  uncommitted,  could  he  who  contemplates  it,  fore- 
see the  deep  abyss  of  guilt  into  which,  possibly,  this  very 
first  transgression  will  ultimately  hurry  him.  So  in  the 
present  instance  :  some  of  those  who  had  intended  no  more 
than  a  forcible  entry,  and  a  robbery  of  a  few  sheets  of  man- 
uscripts, foiled  in  that  enterprise,  now  resolved  upon  the 
capital  offence  of  arson,  and  all  its  direful  consequences. 
On  the  night  of  Sunday,  the  10th  of  September,  the  people 
of  Batavia  w^ere  startled  from  their  slumbers,  by  the  appal- 
ling, cry  of  fire.  The  flames  were  bursting  from  the  stair- 
way of  the  printing  oflice  of  Col.  Miller,  but  had  been  so 


LETTER  Xlir.  14S 

early  discovered,  and  assistance  was  so  promptly  rendered, 
that  they  were  soon  got  under,  without  occasioning  any  con- 
siderable damage.  Miller's  offices  were  in  the  upper  sto- 
ries of  two  wooden  buildings,  with  a  stair-way  between 
them  ;  and  the  lower  stories  of  both,  were  occupied,  to  the 
number  of  sixteen  persons, — so  that  the  lives  of  all  these 
people  were  jeoparded  by  this  diabolical  act ;  while,  more- 
over, had  the  expectations  of  the  incendiaries  been  realized, 
a  large  portion  of  the  village  would  probably  have  been  in- 
volved in  the  common  ruin.  Indeed  the  calamity  was 
averted  only  by  a  signal  interposition  of  Providence.  It 
appears  that  a  number  of  teamsters  had  arrived  in  the  vil- 
lage on  the  evening  of  this  memorable  night,  and  stopped  at 
a  public  house  nearly  opposite  the  printing  offices.  Howev- 
er, unable,  all  of  them,  to  procure  lodgings  in  the  tavern,  and 
the  weather  being  mild  and  pleasant,  some  of  them  took  up 
their  residence,  for  the  night,  in  the  body  of  a  covered  stage 
coach,  standing  in  the  street  near  to  the  offices.  The  flames 
were  therefore  discovered  the  moment  they  burst  forth.  A 
number  of  barrels  of  water,  caught  from  the  eves  of  the 
house  during  a  recent  shower,  were  likewise  standing  in 
providential  readiness  for  the  occasion,  and  the  catastrophe 
was  thus  averted.  Although  the  materials  for  kindling  a 
fire  were  found  on  the  spot,  such  as  cotton  balls  saturated 
with  turpentine,  and  other  combustibles,  which  had  been 
thrown  under  the  stairs,  while  the  sides  of  the  buildings  had 
been  smeared  Vi^ith  the  same  hquid,  in  order  to  ensure  their 
more  rapid  destruction, — a  dark-lanthern  being  also  found 
in  the  street  a  few  yards  off; — yet,  from  the  expedition 
w^ith  which  the  flames  were  extinguished,  there  were  not 
wanting  those  who  insinuated  that  the  torch  had  been  ap- 
plied by  Miller's  own  hand,  in  order  to  increase  the  cry  of 
persecution,  and  excite  the  sympathy  of  the  public  in  his 
favor.  The  cruel  device  was  effectual  for  many  months  ; 
and  the  im  nression  that  such  was  probably  the  fact,  was  not 


144  LETTER  Xiil. 

removed  from  my  own  mind,  until  the  spring  of  the  ensuing 
year.  All  this,  however,  in  due  season.  Suffice  it  for  the 
present  to  say,  that  the  evidence,  in  the  end,  was  most 
abundant,  that  the  dark  deed  was  attempted  by  at  least  one 
of  the  ringleaders  of  the  fruitless  expedition  of  the  prece- 
ding Friday  night. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  this  same  Sunday,  the  10th  of 
September,  that  Mr.  Nicholas  G.  Cheseboro,  one  of  the 
coroners  of  the  county  of  Ontario,  and  master  of  the  lodge 
in  Canandaigua,  applied  to  Jeflrey  Chipman,  Esq.,  of  the 
same  village,  for  a  warrant  for  the  apprehension  of  William 
Morgan,  on  a  charge  of  petit  larceny.  It  appears  that  dur- 
ing the  m.onth  of  May  preceding,  when  on  a  visit  to  Canan- 
daigua, Morgan  had  borrowed  a  shirt  and  cravat  of  a  man 
named  Kingsley,  the  tavern-keeper  with  whom  he  lodged, 
which  articles  lie  had  not  returned.  Such  was  the  nature 
of  the  larceny  charged,  and  tiie  necessity  of  the  case  which 
demanded  the  issuing  of  a  peace-warrant  on  the  christian 
Sabbath  !  It  is  but  justice  to  Kingsley,  however,  to  say, 
that  he  had  never  an  intention  of  entering  any  complaint 
in  this  matter,  until  prompted  thereto  by  Cheseboro.  But 
be  that  as  it  may,  the  warrant  was  granted,  and  directed  to 
Cheseboro,  as  Coroner,  who,  taking  with  him  a  constable 
named  Halloway  Hayward,  and  four  other  persons,  viz  : 
Henry  Howard,  Harris  Seymour,  JMoscs  Roberts,  and  Jo- 
seph Scofield,  immediately  proceeded  for  Batavia,  in  an 
extra  coach,  engaged  expressly  for  that  purpose.  The  par- 
ty was  recruited,  from  time  to  time,  on  the  way,  it  being 
joined  by  Asa  Nowlan,  an  inn-keeper,  at  Avon  ;  by  John. 
Butter  field,  merchant,  of  Caledonia,  and  at  Lc  Roy  b}- 
Ella  G.  Smith.  At  this  latter  place,  the  warrant  v/as  en- 
dorsed by  a  justice  of  the  peace,  of  Genesee — a  cere- 
mony necessary  to  give  it  force  and  virtue  in  that  county^ 
The  party  proceeded  thence  to  the  late  rendezvous  at  Gan- 
son's,  in  StafF:>rd.  where  they  supped  ;  and  it  is  in  evidence 


LETTER  XllI*  145 

'that  all  the  party  seemed  well  aware,  that  the  object  of  this 
journey  was  the  arrest  of  Morgan.  While  at  Ganson's,  the 
party  of  Cheseboro  were  introduced  to  a  Dr.  Samuel  S  But- 
ler, of  that  place,  who  was  dispatched  in  advance,  to  Bata- 
via,  with  a  message  to  Wilham  Seaver,  master  of  Batavia 
lodge,  and  to  Nathan  Follett,  who  has  formerly  been  men- 
tioned. Leaving  Stafford,  with  Ganson  as  an  addition  to 
the  company,  they  proceeded  forward  towards  Batavia, 
but  when  within  one  mile  and  an  half  of  the  village,  they 
were  met  by  Dr.  Butler,  with  a  message  from  Follett  that 
they  should  not  come  on — (in  so  large  a  party,  probably 
meaning,) — lest  their  appearance  in  Batavia  should  cause  a 
fresh  alarm.  After  a  short  consultation,  the  party  now  se- 
parated ;  several  of  the  persons,  and  among  them  Chese- 
boro and  Hayward,  the  constable,  proceeded  to  Batavia, 
on  foot,  while  others  returned  with  the  carriage. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  (the  11th,)  Morgan  was 
arrested  by  Hayward,  and  brought  to  a  tavern  kept  by  Mr. 
Danolds — Morgan  making  no  objections  to  going  along 
with  him.,  and  breakfasting  with  the  officer  and  his  asso- 
ciates. An  extra  coach  was  again  engaged  for  the  return ; 
but  while  preparations  were  making  for  their  departure, 
Colonel  Miller  appeared,  and  objected  to  Morgan's  being 
taken  away,  on  the  ground  that  he  was  then  on  the  limits, 
and,  .of  course,  in  the  custody  of  the  sheriff  of  Genesee  : 
Miller,  being  his  bail,  feared  that  should  he  be  carried  be- 
yond the  prison  limits,  he  (Miller)  would  then  become  re- 
sponsible for  the  debt  and  costs.  In  answer  to  this  objec- 
tion, it  was  maintained,  that,  inasmuch  as  the  warrant  wag 
issued  in  the  name  of  the  people,  for  a  criminal  offence,  the 
officers  had  a  right  to  hold  his  person,  and  take  him  to  Ca- 
nandaigua.  Morgan  made  no  objections  himself,  and  volun- 
tarily entered  the  carriage,  according  to  the  account  of 
Brown ;  but  the  narrative  of  the  Lewiston  committee, 
which  appears  to  have  been  drawn  up  with  great  Gaution, 

19 


146  LETTER  XIII. 

conveys  a  difierent  impression.  Miller,  it  says,  was  rudely 
pushed  aside  by  Danolds,  the  inn-keeper,  who  closed  the 
door,  while  Cheseboro,  mounting  upon  the  outside,  direc- 
ted the  coachman  to  drive  fast,  until  they  should  cross 
the  line  of  the  county.  The  coachman,  it  appears,  was 
suspicious  that  all  was  not  right ;  and  being  reluctant  to 
proceed,  was  persuaded  by  Cheseboro  to  keep  on  to  Staf- 
ford, on  the  assurance  that  Ganson  would  then  become  se- 
curity against  all  responsibility — and  this  responsibility 
was  assumed  by  Ganson.  At  Le  Roy,  Morgan  was  told 
by  Hayward,  that  if  he  chose,  he  might  go  before  the  ma- 
gistrate who  had  endorsed  the  warrant,  and  be  discharged, 
on  giving  bail  for  his  appearance  to  answer  to  the  charge, 
at  the  next  term  of  the  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  for 
Ontario.  It  may  have  been  that  Morgan,  being  thus  aw^ay 
from  home,  felt  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  him  to  procure 
bail,  should  he  make  the  exertion  ; — but  he  said  he  preferred 
going  on  to  Canandaigua,  where,  as  he  believed,  he  could 
soon  satisfy  Kingsley,  that,  although  he  liad  not  returned 
the  trifle  of  clothing,  yet  he  had  no  intention  of  stealing  it. 
The  distance  between  Canandaigua  and  Batavia,  is  fifty 
miles ;  and  the  party  having  Morgan  in  custody,  arrived  on 
their  return,  at  about  sun-set.  The  prisoner  was  inuiie- 
diately  taken  before  Justice  Chipman,  and  examined  upon 
the  charge  preferred  against  him,  but  which  soon  fellto  the 
ground.  It  appeared  that  he  had  merely  borrowed  the  shirt 
and  cravat  of  Kingsley,  and  of  course  there  was  nothing  felo- 
nious in  the  transaction.  On  being  discharged  from  this  pro- 
secution, however,  in  which  a  Mason,  by  the  name  of  Loton 
Lawson,  appeared  on  his  behalf,  he  was  immediately  arrest- 
ed by  Cheseboro  for  a  small  debt  of  two  dollars,  due  to  one 
Aaron  Ackley,  another  tavern-keeper  in  Canandaigua,  and 
for  the  collection  of  which  Cheseboro  produced  a  power  of 
attorney.  Morgan  admitted  this  debt ;  judgment  was  taken 
by  confession  ;  and  an  execution  was  sued  out  on  the  spot. 


LETTER  XIII.  147 

Having  no  money  to  satisfy  it,  he  pulled  off  his  coat,  and 
made  a  tender  of  that ; — but  the  officer  refused  to  take  it, 
and  the  unhappy  man  was  forthwith  taken  to  prison,  and 
locked  up  at  about  10  o'clock  in  the  evening.  It  was  on  the 
morning  of  that  day,  that  the  sun  last  dawned  upon  his 
freedom.  '     • 

Frequent  and  labored  attempts  have  been  made  to  create 
an  impression,  that  the  proceedings  respecting  Morgan  last 
narrated,  were  had  in  due  course  of  law.  But  the  trans- 
action itself,  and  all  the  circumstances  attending  it,  are  too 
transparent  not  to  be  seen  through  at  a  glance.  If  the  pro- 
secution for  the  larceny  was  instituted  for  an  honest  pur- 
pose, to  vindicate  the  offended  law,  and  bring  an  offender  to 
justice,  why  was  the  business  not  taken  in  hand  sooner? 
Why  was  the  matter  of  the  shirt  and  cravat  suffered  to  lie 
along  from  May  till  September  ?  And  why  did  not  Kings- 
ley  take  the  affair  in  hand  of  his  own  motion  himself  ?  Why 
was  Cheseboro  so  deeply  interested  in  the  matter,  and 
whence  the  necessity  of  taking  along  so  large  a  quota  of 
the  posse  of  Ontario,  for  the  security  of  a  poor  man,  who 
seems  certainly  to  have  been  rather  a  submissive  and  quiet 
citizen  ?  How  happened  it,  also,  that  these  men  were  so 
ready  to  halt  at  Ganson's  on  the  way  ?  What  meant  the 
mission  of  Dr.  Butler — his  errand  back,  and  the  disper- 
sion ?  How,  moreover,  are  we  to  account  for  the  manner 
of  Cheseboro,  on  leaving  Batavia  with  Morgan  ?  And  how 
happened  his  ready  preparation  for  the  second  suit,  for  the 
paltry  debt  of  Ackley's,  and  the  indecent  haste  with  which 
Morgan  was  hurried  ofi'  to  the  gloomy  prison-house,  if  this 
matter  was  nothing  more  than  a  fair  and  proper  legal  pro- 
cedure ?  The  fact  is  not  so  :  for  notwithstanding  the  subse- 
quent trial  and  acquittal  of  Howard,  Seymour,  Roberts, 
Scofield,  and  others  who  accompanied  Hayward  and  Chese- 
boro to  Batavia  on  that  occasion,  on  an  indictment  as  par- 
ticipants in  the  conspiracy,  there  is  yet  testimony  of  a  di- 


148  LETTER  XIII. 

rect  and  conclusive  character,  showing  that  this  transaction 
was  most  foul ; — that  it  was,  in  fact,  another  prostitution  of 
justice,  and  a  solemn  mockery  of  the  laws  of  the  land. 

The  unexpected  arrest  of  Morgan,  so  early  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  11th,  and  the  suddenness  of  his  departure  in  the 
custody  of  the  officers  from  the  village,  had  left  his  wdfe 
ignorant  either  of  the  cause  of  his  absence,  or  the  direction 
in  which  he  had  gone.     Becoming  uneasy  at  his  continued 
absence,  on  the  forenoon  of  the  12th,  Mrs.  Morgan  sent  for 
Mr.  William  R.  Thomson,  the  sheriff,  to  procure  tidings,  if 
possible,  upon  both  points.      Mr.  Thompson  gave  her  the 
particulars  of  the  arrest,  and  the  charge  against  him, — add- 
ing, that  he  presumed  the  allegation  respecting  the  shirt  and 
cravat  was  a  mere  pretext  to  get  him  away.     Mrs.  M.  then 
inquired  whether  it  was  probable  the  restoration  of  her 
husband  could  be  procured,  provided  she  were  to  give  up  to 
the  Masons  the  papers  in  her  possession.     Mr.  Thompson 
thought  a  suri'ender  of  the  papers  might  effect  that  object ; 
but  he  would  give  no  pledge  upon  the  subject.     He  how- 
ever advised  Mrs.  Morgan  to  take  the  papers,  go  to  Ca- 
nandaigua,  and  make  the  attempt, — stating,  at  the  same 
time,  that  it  would  not  do  for  any  person  to  go  along  with 
her  but  a  Mason, — he  not  being  one  himself,  as  he  then 
alledged.      ^'  r.  T.  then  proposed  that  Mr.  Follett,  or  Mr. 
Ketchum,   should   be  requested  to  accompany  her  on  the 
journey,  for  which  purpose  he  went  and  saw  those  per- 
sons upon  the  subject.      Returning   soon   afterwards,   he 
said  that  neither  of  them  would  go,  unless  they  were  al- 
lowed previously  to  see  and  examine  the  papers,  as  Follett 
said,  "  they  were  not  going  on  a  fool's  errand."     To  this 
proposition  Mrs.  M.  objected  for  some  time,  lest  she  should 
be  deprived  of  them.     But  on  the  assurance  of  Mr^  T.  that 
they  would  not  keep  them  from  her,  she  assented.     Follett 
and  Ketchum  then  came  to  the  house,  and  after  looking  over 
the  papers  for  awhile,  agreed  to  proceed  with  the  afflicteil 


LETTER  XIII.  149 

woman  to  Canandaigua,  as  she  had  requested.  They  de- 
parted from  Batavia  at  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
stopped  at  Stafford.  Mrs.  M.  was  then  taken  into  a  back 
room,  where  her  guardians  were  joined  by  Ganson,  and  the 
celebrated  Johns,  heretofore  particularly  mentioned.  They 
all  thereupon  proceeded  earnestly  to  examme  the  papers, 
talking  over  them  in  low  tones  of  voice.  Johns  was  asked 
if  they  were  the  same  papers  which  he  had  seen  in  the  of- 
fice, and  replied  that  they  were,  with  the  exception  of  one 
degree,  which  was  yet  missing,  and  of  which  he  gave  a  par- 
ticular description  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  manuscript 
was  folded.  After  some  consultation  by  themselves,  Fol- 
jett  announced  to  Mrs.  M.  that  he  could  go  no  farther  with 
her ;  but  that  as  Mr.  Ketchum  was  going  to  Rochester,  he 
would  proceed  with  her  to  Canandaigua — assuring  her,  at 
the  same  time,  that  K.  was  a  gentleman  with  whom  she 
need  not  be  afraid  to  entrust  herself.  Taking  the  papers 
with  them,  Mrs.  M.  proceeded  forward  with  K.,  to  Avon, 
where  they  tarried  for  the  night.  They  arrived  at  Canan^ 
daigua  about  noon  of  the  following  day — Wednesday,  the 
13th  of  September. 

During  the  journey  from  Batavia,  the  feelings  of  Mrs.  M. 
had  been  sustained  by  the  confident  expectation,  that  she 
would  not  only  meet  her  husband  on  her  arrival  at  Canan- 
daigua,^ but  procure  his  release,  even  were  she  to  find  him 
in  duress.  The  charge  under  pretext  of  which  he  had  been 
so  rudely  torn  from  his  family  and  home,  was  of  such  a  pal- 
try nature,  that  it  could  not  be  doubted  that  in  the  wonder- 
ful papers,  which  were  now  in  her  trunk,  she  had  a  charn?i 
that  would  readily  dissolve  all  the  bolts  and  bars  that  might 
stand  in  her  way.  But  hope  was  a  deceiver.  Ketchmn, 
after  an  absence  of  some  time,  returned  to  the  inn  at  which 
they  had  stopped,  stating  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  find 
her  husband  ;  adding  that  the  Masons  looked  upon  him  as 
a  friend  of  Morgan's,  and  being  apprehensive  that  he  had 


15^ 


LETTER  XIII. 


come  to  get  him  away,  would  hold  no  conversation  with 
him.  He  then  asked  her  for  the  papers,  and  taking  them 
with  him,  promised  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  ascertain  where 
her  husband  was,  and  bring  her  the  intelligence.  Hour  af- 
ter hour  passed  away,  without  any  tidings,  during  which 
time  her  apprehensions  became  painfully  oppressive.  To- 
wards evening,  however,  he  again  returned,  and  informed 
the  distressed  woman  of  her  husband's  having  been  there  ; 
of  his  trial  for  larceny  ;  his  acquittal,  &:c.  ;  together  \vith 
the  particulars  of  his  second  arrest  and  imprisonment  for 
debt.  But  although  he  truly  added  that  Morgan  had  sub- 
sequently been  taken  from  the  prison,  by  a  man  who  had 
paid  the  debt,  and  carried  off  in  a  close  carriage,  yet  he 
stated  the  falsehood,  that  this  debt  had  been  paid  by  a  man 
from  Pennsylvania,  to  whiom  he  (Morgan)  was  indebted, 
and  at  w4/ose  suit  he  had  now  been  carried  thither.  He 
then  coldly  asked  Mrs.  Morgan,  when  she  wished  to  return 
home  to  Batavia.  The  desolate  woman  replied  that  she 
would  go  immediately,  as  she  had  left  a  child  but  two  years 
old,  and,  without  money,  was  there,  among  strangers,  with 
an  infant  in  her  arms  only  two  months  old. 

Once  more  was  the  poor  W'Oman  left  alone,  while  her 
guardian  went  to  take  a  passage  for  her  in  the  stage.  Re- 
turning again,  in  the  evening,  a  scene  occurred  of  the  most 
interesting  and  painful  description.  He  found  Mrs.  Mor- 
gan traversing  the  room,  in  the  bitterest  anguish,  relieved 
only  by  the  tears  which  were  flowing  down  her  cheeks. 
Though  beyond  a  doubt  he  was  deeply  in  the  plot,  yet  he 
could  not  withstand  the  passion  of  her  grief ;  he  could  not, 
it  seems,  suffer  her  to  depart  under  the  cruel  deception 
which  he  had  attempted  to  practice  upon  the  now  wretched 
woman.  Accordingly,  after  surveying  her  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  her  distress,  he  took  her  to  a  seat,  and  attempted 
to  sooth  the  bitterness  of  her  feelings.  He  assured  her  that 
he  did  notlmow  where  her  husband  was, — that  bis  place  of 


LETTER  XIII.  151 

concealment  was  not  known, — but  that  if  she  would  permit 
him  to  take  the  papers  to  Rochester,  he  thought  he  should 
be  able  to  discover  him.  He  then  told  her  that  a  part  of 
the  papers  which  they  wanted  were  missing, — particularly 
the  illustrations  of  the  mark-master's  degree, — and  he  urged 
that,  on  her  return  to  Batavia,  she  would  find  the  remainder 
of  the  papers,  if  possible, — assuring  her,  moreover,  that  if 
she  could  ascertain  v/here  the  sheets  of  the  first  three  de- 
grees, already  printed  by  Miller,  could  be  found,  and  give 
him  information  at  Rochester,  by  letter,  he  would  give  her 
twenty-five  dollars,  and  the  lodge  would  pay  her  one  hun- 
dred dollars  more.  Mrs.  M.  declined  making  the  attempt 
to  obtain  the  papers,  or  printed  sheets,  from  Miller,  and  said 
she  would  not  receive  the  money.  She  also  hesitated  about 
giving  up  the  papers  now  in  her  possession,  fearing,  as  she 
frankly  told  him,  that  it  was  their  intention  to  keep  her  hus- 
band in  concealment  until  they  should  obtain  them  all,  and 
then  take  his  life.  He  again  pressed  her  to  write  to  him  at 
Rochester,  and  inform  him  as  to  the  state  of  public  feeling 
at  Batavia,  in  regard  to  the  taking  away  of  her  husband. 
He  gave  his  name  on  a  slip  of  paper,  "George  Ketchum," 
and  on  taking  leave,  made  a  solemn  pledge  as  follows  : — "  I 
"  promise,  before  my  God,  that  I  will  not  deceive  you,  but 
"  will  do  all  I  can  to  find  out  where  he  [Morgan]  is,  and  let 
*'  you  see  him :  I  have  no  doubt  when  I  get  back  to  Roches- 
**  ter,  I  can  find  out  more,  and  I  think  I  can  find  where  he 
"is." 

Ketchum  had  paid  her  passage,  and  he  now  gave  her  two 
dollars  to  defray  her  expenses  back  to  Batavia.  Thus  was 
this  unfortunate  woman  left — a  stranger,  in  a  strange  place — 
homeless — friendless — with  an  infant  at  her  breast,  and  an- 
other child  at  fifty  miles  distance,  which,  though  not  quite 
so  young,  was,  nevertheless,  equally  dependant  and  helpless. 
Her  husband^no  matter  what  w^ere  his  faults,  he  was  still 
her  husband,  the  father  of  her  children— had  been  torn  from 


152 


LETTER  XIlT, 


his  family  ;  and  with  a  heavy  heart,  she  was  now  compel- 
led to  return,  after  a  fruitless  search,  equally  as  ignorant  of 
his  fate,  or  of  the  place  in  which  he  had  been  concealed,  as 
when  she  had  set  out  upon  the  bootless  mission. 

Mrs.  Morgan  departed  from  Canandaigua,  on  her  return, 
in  the  first  stage,  for  Batavia.  Arriving  at  Le  Roy, 
James  Ganson  again  made  his  appearance,  and  joined  her 
in  the  coach.  He  stated  to  her  that  he  was  then  on  his  way 
to  Batavia,  to  make  arrangements  for  her  support,  because 
her  husband  would  not  be  seen  by  her  for  at  least  a  year, 
and  perhaps  more  ;,  although  he  assured  her  that  he  had  not 
been  killed.  But  he  told  her  that  in  any  event,  she  should 
be  well  provided  for,  that  her  children  should  be  sent  to 
school,  &c.  In  a  few  hours  after  the  disconsolate  woman 
had  reached  her  desolate  home,  moreover,  she  was  visited 
by  the  same  Thomas  M'Cully,  at  whose  suit  her  husband 
had  been  thrust  into  the  Batavia  prison  in  August,  and  who 
had  assisted  in  ransacking  the  house  for  the  anxiously-sought 
manuscripts.  The  object  of  his  visit  was  to  inform  her  that 
the  lodge  had  appointed  him  to  provide  for  the  support  of 
herself  and  children,  and  that  he  had  engaged  lodgings  for 
them  at  the  pubhc  house  of  Danolds,  at  which  place  her 
husband  had  been  detained  after  his  arrest  on  the  10th, 
until  he  was  thrust  into  the  carriage,  and  taken  away.  The 
offers,  both  of  Ganson  and  M'Cully,  were  promptly  rejected 
by  Mrs.  Morgan.  If  compelled  to  live  by  charity,  she  pre- 
ferred receiving  it  from  different  persons  than  those  by  whom 
her  misfortunes  had  been  brought  upon  her.* 

*  It  appears  that  the  proffers  of  masonic  assistance  which  I  have  mention- 
ed, were  not  all  that  Mrs.  M.  received.  It  is  stated  in  the  report  dftho  Lcm- 
iston  committee,  that  "about  the  first  of  March,  1827,  lienry  Brown,  Esq. 
of  Batavia,  said  to  be  Grand  Commander  of  tlic  Kniohts  Templars  Encamp. 
ed  at  Le  Roy,  called  at  Mrs.  Morgan's  lodjrintrs,  and  exhibited  to  the  wo- 
man with  whom  she  boarded,  a  bair  containinij,  as  ho  said,  silver  dollo.rs, 
which  he  professed  great  anxiety  to  give  to  her  without  delay.  Mrs.  Mot- 
<»an  never  sent  for  the  dollars,  and  tlicy  M'cre  taken  away  by  Mr.  Brown, 
but  it  is  not  known  to  what  use  they  were  subsequently  appropriated." 

Q,uerij  :  Was  this  the  Henry  Brown,  who  wrote  tho  narrative  of  these 
importaat  transactions^  for  the  benefit  of  the  Masons  ? 


LETTER  XIV.  153 

Prom  the  circumstances  of  the  arrest  of  Morgan,  by  Hay- 
ward  and  Cheseboro,  and  those  attending  the  journey  of 
Mrs.  Morgan,  as  disclosed  in  the  foregoing  narrative,  there 
can,  I  think,  be  no  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  the  opinion  I 
have  expressed  a  few  pages  back,  viz :  that  all  the  legal 
part  of  these  proceedings,  was  but  a  solemn  mockery  of 
law  and  justice,  the  forms  of  which  were  knowingly  prosti- 
tuted to  subserve  the  vilest  purposes,  to  the  deep  and  last- 
ing injury  of  the  unoffending  man  who  was  immediately 
concerned,  even  though  he  should  have  escaped  from  the 
toils  which  had  thus  been  spread  for  his  destruction  ! 

I  have  the  honor,  sir,  to  remain  vours,  &c. 


LETTER   XIV. 

New- York,  Feb.  5,  1832. 
Sir, 

It  was  early  on  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  the  12th  of 
September, — the  morning  of  Mrs.  Morgan's  departure  in 
quest  of  her  husband, — that  Col.  Miller  received  an  anony- 
mous note,  the  chirography  of  which  was  unknown,  inform- 
ing him  that  an  attempt  was  that  day  to  be  made  to  take 
his  office  by  assault,  and,  at  all  hazards,  to  wrest  from  his 
possession  the  manuscripts,  and  probably  the  printed  sheets 
also,  of  his  proposed  masonic  publication.  This  notice 
was  shown  by  Miller  to  some  of  his  friends,  and  a  consulta- 
tion held  to  determine  what  was  best  to  be  done.  Millers 
office  was  already  armed  by  two  swivels,  fifteen  or  twenty 
guns,  and  several  pistols.  Some  were  disposed  to  treat  the 
threat  as  an  idle  one ;  but  recent  occurrences  admonished 
the  majority,  that  it  was  the  dictate  of  prudence  to  be  on 
their  guard.     A  number  of  the  villagers,  therefore,  armed 

themselves  with  clubs,  and  repaired  to  the  neiirhborhood  of 

20 


154  LETTER  XIV. 

the  office,  to  be  prepared  to  repel  force  by  force,  should  the 
information  conveyed  by  the  note  prove  to  be  well  founded. 
It  was  well  that  this  precaution  was  adopted  ;  for,  at  about 
the  hour  of  12  o'clock  at  noon,  the  village  was  once  more 
invaded  by  a  gang  of  between  sixty  and  seventy  men,  arm- 
ed with  heavy  sticks  or  clubs,  newly  prepared,  all  appear- 
ing as  if  cut  at  the  same  time,  and  for  the  same  purpose  ; 
and  the  persons  wielding  them,  were  all,  or  nearly  all,  en- 
tirely strangers  to  the  inhabitants  of  Batavia.  There  was 
much  consternation  in  the  village,  at  the  appearance  of  such 
a  formidable  array  of  at  least  partially  armed  men  :  for  the 
singular  arrest  of  Morgan;  the  manner  in  which  he  had 
been  hurried  away  ;  and  the  doubt  and  uncertainty  that 
hung  over  his  fate,  were  subjects  already  in  the  mouths  of 
the  people.  Added  to  thisy  should  a  riot  ensue,  it  was  now 
ascertained,  that  there  was  not,  at  that  time,  a  single  magis- 
trate in  the  village, — they  all  having,  by  a  strange  and  sin- 
gular coincidence,  been  subpoenaed  into  a  distant  town,  as 
witnesses.  The  rendezvous  of  this  party  was  at  the  house 
of  Danolds ;  but  they  had  doubtless  been  advised  of  the  pre- 
parations made  to  give  them  a  warm  reception,  should  they 
attempt  any  oflensive  measures,  as  well  by  the  friends  of 
Miller,  as  by  Miller's  own  garrison,  armed  as  it  was  by 
swivels  and  fire-arms  of  various  calibre, — for  they  made  no 
demonstration  towards  the  office  in  a  body.  Along  witli 
this  company  was  a  constable  from  Le  Roy,  named  Jesse 
French,  who  alkidged  that  he  had  a  warrant  for  Miller,  and 
from  the  intimations  given  out,  it  was  supposed  to  be  a 
criminal  process.  French,  with  a  single  assistant,  proceed- 
ed to  the  office  and  arrested  Miller,  who  made  no  resistance, 
although  one  of  his  men  called  for  a  pistol,  but  repaired 
with  the  officer  to  the  inn  of  Danolds.  Here  he  was  de- 
tained a  couple  of  hours,  but  was  not  prevented  from  com- 
xnunicating  with  his  friends,  nor  from  consulting  with 
couniseL    He  was  afterwards  placed  in  an  open  waggon* 


LETTER  XIV.  155 

with  seven  strong  men,  strangers  to  him,  who  were  all  arm- 
ed, as  above  described ;  the  constable  mounted  on  horse- 
back ;  and  in  this  manner,  attended  by  the  mob,  increased 
by  a  number  of  the  people  of  Batavia,  they  proceeded  to 
Stafford,  where,  in  the  face  of  his  remonstrances,  and  those 
of  his  couilsel,  who  followed  him,  he   was  forced  up  into 
ihe  third  story  of  a  stone  house,  and  placed  under  a  guard 
of  five  men,  in  a  lodge-room.     To  all  inquiries  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  warrant  under  which  he  had  been  taken,  the 
jfeplies  were  vague  and  evasive  ;  but  both  Miller  and  his 
counsel  were  again  and  again  given  to  understand  that  it 
was  a  criminal  process.     By  some  means  or  other,  however, 
Miller  had  learned  that  the  process  had  been  sued  out  by 
his  evil  genius,  Johns,  who  has  been  already  twice  men- 
tioned.    This  man,  who  had  been  in  pretended  partnership 
with  Miller,  had  only  left  him  three  days  before, — having 
succeeded  in   purloining  a  part  of  the   coveted  papers  ; — 
while,  as  it  was  said.   Miller  had  managed  to  get  hold  of 
some  thirty  or  forty  dollars  of  his  cash.     But  be  that  as  it 
may,  Johns  now  suddenly  made  his  appearance  in  the  lodge- 
room,  and  marched  quickly  up   to  Miller  with  a  drawn 
sword.     The  latter  remonstrated  with  him  on  the  subject  of 
his   conduct — to  which    Johns  replied,  with  a  faultering 
tongue,   that  he  was  only  performing  what  he  had  been 
commanded  to  do.     While  thus  in  confinement  at  Stafl:brd5 
Miller  learnt  that  the  process  had  been  issued  by  a  magis- 
trate at  Le  Roy  ;  but  his   guards  told  him   he   was   not 
to  be  tried  there — nor  by  any  ordinary  tribunal.     He  was 
not  to   stop  at  that  place  ;  but  was  going  where  Morgan 
was.     In  reply  to  a  question  from  him,  what  tribunal  he  was 
to  meet,  and  where  Morgan  was,  the  answer  was  equally 
significant  and  laconic — "  You  will  see  !"     A  number  of 
Miller's  friends  were  admitted  into  the  lodge-room,  at  their 
request ;  but  the  great  and  unnecessary  delay  at  this  place, 
and  the  refusal  of  those  having  Miller  in  custody,  to  pro- 


156  LETTER  XIV. 

ceed  on  to  Le  Roy,  where  the  warrant  was  returnable, 
created  a  suspicion  that  they  were  waiting  for  night-fall,  that 
under  the  mantle  of  darkness,  an  opportunity  might  occur 
to  play  the  prisoner  foul.     It  was  not  until  dusk  in  the  eve- 
ning, that  the   party  proceeded  onward  to  Le   Roy,  four 
miles.     The  journey  was  not  unattended  by  noise  and  tu- 
mult— a  considerable  party  of  Miller's  friends  having  fol- 
lowed on  from  Batavia.     On   arriving  at  Le  Roy,  French 
proposed  to  take  his  prisoner   to  a  tavern,  in  which  was  a 
lodge-room  ;  but  Miller  and  his  counsel  both  objected  to 
this  arrangement,  and  insisted  upon  going  directly  before 
the  magistrate,  which  was  accordingly  done.     Leaving  the 
prisoner  before  the  justice,  French  then  went  in  pursuit  of 
the  plaintiff, — for  it  now  appeared  that   the   warrant  was 
merely  a  civil  process,  issued   on  the  application  of  Johns, 
for  the  recovery  of  certain  monies  advanced  by  him  to 
Miller,  w^hile  he  was  acting  as  a  counterfeit  partner  in  what 
Miller,  at  the  time,  supposed  to  be  their  joint  speculation. 
After  waiting  about  half  an  hour,  the  officer  not  having  re- 
turned himself,  nor  made  a  return  of  the  warrant,  and  no 
plaintiff  appearing,  the  magistrate  discharged  the  defendant, 
and  told  him  to  go  where  he  pleased.     Just  as  he  was  leav- 
ing the  oflice  of  the  magistrate,  with  his  friends,  French 
came  up  in  company  with  Johns,  and  made  an  attempt  to 
arrest  him  again  ;  but  he  did  not  succeed,  and  Miller  esca- 
ped to  a  public  house.     French  and  his  party  raUied  again, 
and  made   several  additional  efforts  to  seize  him  upon  the 
same  warrant,  but  the  attempts  were  all  incflectual ;  and, 
finally,  the  friends  of  Miller  succeeded  in  forcing  him  into  a 
carriage,  in  which,  late  ir)  the  night,  he  was  returned  safely 
to  his  home,  and  his  family  were,  consequently,  once  more 
relieved  from  the  terror  occasioned  by  the  extraordinary 
transactions  of  the  day. 

It  requires  no  argument  upon  the  preceding  statement  of 
facts,  to  show,  that  the  process  of  the  law  was  again,  for  a 


LETTER  XIV.  157 

third  time,  abused,  and  its  majesty  insulted,  by  this  pretend- 
ed legal  arrest,  and  the  outrageous  circumstances  attending 
it.  It  was  well  that  a  portion  of  the  people  of  Batavia 
had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  intended  visit  of  these 
audacious  disturbers  of  the  peace,  coming  under  the  cloak 
of  the  civil  la'w.  But  why  was  it,  that  all  the  magistrates 
of  the  village,  had  been  summoned  into  another  town,  as 
witnesses,  on  that  day  ?  A  state  of  things  might  have 
arisen,  in  which  the  presence  of  the  magistracy  would  have 
been  of  the  utmost  consequence.  Is  it  not  possible, — nay, 
probable,  inasmuch  as  the  conspiracy  was  widely  extended, 
and  its  members  very  numerous,  either  that  the  magistrates 
were  willingly  absent,  or  that,  without  their  own  knowledge, 
perhaps,  their  absence  had  been  procured  precisely  at  that 
time,  to  favor  the  views  of  the  conspirators  ?  The  latter  is 
the  most  charitable  inference  ;  and  yet,  there  is  an  anecdote 
on  record,  remaining,  as  far  as  I  am  informed,  uncontradic- 
ted, which  amply  warrants  a  contrary  conclusion.  Two  of 
those  magistrates,  residing  in  the  village,  were  Masons. 
One  of  these  remarked,  to  a  third  person,  before  his  return 
from  Bethany,  (the  town  to  which  he  had  been  taken  by 
subpoBua,)  "  that  he  (the  person  addressed)  need  not  be  sur- 
*'  prised,  if,  on  his  return  to  Batavia,  he  should  find  Miller's 
*'  office  levelled  with  the  earth."  The  gentleman  to  whom 
the  remark  was  made,  inquired,  "  if  they,  being  justices  of 
"  the  peace,  thought  such  proceedings  right  ?"  "  Why," 
replied  one  of  them,  "  if  you  found  a  man  abusing  your 
"  marriage  bed,  would  you  have  recourse  to  the  law,  or 
"  would  you  not  rather  talvc  a  club,  and  beat  his  brains 
"  out  ?"  Comment  upon  this  short  but  emphatic  colloquy, 
is  unnecessary. 

There  was  now  a  brief  pause  in  the  progress  of  events ; 
but  it  lasted  only  a  week  or  two.  It  is  true,  that  an  im- 
perfect statement  of  the  occurrences  was  published  in  CoL 
Miller's  paper,  and  possibly  copied  by  a  few — a  very  few= — 


158  Letter  xiv. 

publishers  elsewhere ;  but  very  little  attention  was  paid  to 
the  story  abroad — probably,  in  the  first  instance,  from  an 
impression  that  the  rumors  related  to  some  trifling  local  af- 
fray, which  had  been  greatly  magnified,  and  which  possess- 
ed little,  if  any,  public  importance.  I  well  recollect  that 
the  first  knowledge  I  possessed  upon  the  subject,  was  de* 
rived  from  one  of  Miller's  papers,  which  caught  my  eye  at 
a  public  house  in  New- Jersey,  on  the  day  of  commencing 
a  journey  to  Baltimore  and  Washington.  It  made  but  a 
transient  impression  upon  my  mind;  and  seeing  nothing 
further  upon  the  subject  for  some  weeks,  during  my  ab- 
sence, and  even  after  my  return,  the  circumstances  had  all 
but  escaped  my  memory,  until  they  were  revived  late  in  the 
autumn,  by  the  unpleasant  reports,  and  symptoms  of  high 
excitement,  which  began  to  reach  us  from  the  west. 

In  and  about  Batavia,  however,  a  strong  feeling  of  dis- 
trust soon  began  to  pervade  the  unmasonio  community, 
touching  the  cause  of  the  protracted  absence  of  Morgan. 
More  than  a  week  had  passed  away,  and  there  were  no 
tidings  from  him ;  while  the  manner  in  which  those  of  the 
Masons  conducted  themselves,  who  had  clearly  been  either 
directly  concerned  in  the  transactions  before  related,  or  had 
looked  on  rather  with  approbation,  than  otherwise,  was  lit- 
tle calculated  to  allay  the  public  apprehension.  Instead  of 
expressing  any  anxiety  themselves,  they  jeered  and  laughed 
at  those  who  did.  Nor  did  they  hesitate,  occasionally,  to 
justify  their  conduct  in  carrying  him  away,  and  even  to  de- 
clare, that  any  punishment  he  might  have  received,  was  too 
good  for  him.  Indeed,  their  carriage  was  such,  in  various 
respects,  as  to  offend  many  good  citizens,  and  to  excite  the 
suspicions  of  those  who  would,  otherwise,  have  been  the  last 
to  entertain  a  belief  that  friends  and  neighbors,  of  so  much 
respectability,  could  have  been  concerned  in  any  transac- 
tions involving  positive  crime.  It  was  apparent  that  they 
supposed  their  stratagems  to  prevent  the  publication  of  the 


LETTER  XV.  159 

hated  book,  had  been  crowned  with  complete  success.  No 
publication  was  yet  issued  from  Miller's  office ;  Johns, 
three  days  before  Miller's  arrest,  had  succeeded  in  purloin- 
ing a  portion  of  the  manuscripts  appertaining  to  the  upper 
degrees,  and  marring  somewhat  more ;  and  Ketchum  had 
obtained  from  Mrs.  Morgan  the  original  manuscripts  of  the 
first  three  degrees.  These,  therefore,  were  strong  reasons 
why  they  might  imagine  that  the  work  had  been  effectually 
suppressed,  and  they  exulted  at  their  supposed  success,  in 
terms  of  unqualified  and  undisguised  triumph.  Little  did 
they  think  that  the  prize  obtained  of  the  wretched  woman 
was  valueless.  But  it  was  so  ;  she  having,  in  fact,  obtained 
the  papers  from  Miller,  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  with 
the  fraternity  for  the  liberation  of  her  husband,  after  he  had 
no  farther  use  for  them.  That  portion  of  the  manuscripts 
which  had  been  embezzled  by  Johns,  was  sent  to  New- 
York  by  an  express,  to  be  laid  before  the  General  Grand 
Chapter  of  the  United  States,  then  holding  its  triennial  con- 
vocation in  this  city.  Of  this  circumstance,  however,  I 
shall  speak  more  at  large  hereafter,  in  connexion  with  the 
name  of  an  illustrious  individual,  now  no  more,  who  has 
been  most  infamously  calumniated,  not  only  in  regard  to 
the  precise  occurrence  to  which  I  now  refer,  but  likewise 
in  connexion  with  the  whole  transaction. 

With  sentiments  of  great  respect,  I  am,  &:c. 


LETTER   XV. 

New- York,  Feb.  8,  1832. 

The  desolate  condition  of  Mrs.  Morgan,  after  her  return 
from  Canandaigua,  pennyless,  and,  for  aught  she  knew, 
husbandless  likewise,  did  not  escape  the  attention  of  the 


160  LETTER  XV. 

humane  citizens  of  Batavia.  She  had  rejected  the  proffer- 
ed bounty  of  the  lodges,  and,  under  the  circumstances,  she 
had  done  right.  Poor  indeed  must  she  have  been,  to  have 
acted  otherwise.  But  although  I  would  by  no  means  un- 
dervalue the  charities  of  the  lodges,  which,  as  I  well  know, 
before  the  institution  had  been  so  greatly  abused,  have  sent 
forth  their  beneficence  in  countless  streams  and  rivulets,  car- 
rying gladness  and  comfort  to  thousands  of  the  destitute  and 
afflicted,  yet,  fortunately,  in  this  favored  country,  charity  is 
not  confined  to  the  members  of  the  fraternity.  There  are 
hearts  to  feel  the  woes  of  others,  and  hands  to  administer  to 
the  wants  of  the  destitute — to  cheer  the  widow's  heart,  and 
wipe  the  tears  from  the  orphan's  cheek — in  every  village 
that  studs  the  face  of  our  beautiful  land.  The  kindest  sym- 
pathies of  these  were  enlisted  in  behalf  of  Mrs.  Morgan, 
and  the  necessary  measures  were  taken  by  the  benevolent 
to  provide  for  her  immediate  w^ants.  Meantime,  day  after 
day  passed  away,  without  seeing,  or  hearing  a  word  from 
Morgan ;  and  from  frequent  inuendoes,  and  dark  givings- 
out,  it  became  a  doubtful  matter  whether  his  return  was  to 
be  expected  at  all.  It  was  therefore  determined  to  despatch 
a  messenger  to  Canandaigua,  to  make  inquiries  as  to  his 
probable  fate,  and  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  place  of  his  con- 
cealment, or  learn  the  direction  in  w^hich  he  had  been  taken. 
The  mystery  of  the  case  was  hourly  becoming  deeper ;  nor 
was  it  in  any  degree  dispelled,  or  the  anxieties  of  the  wife 
lessened,  by  a  letter  which  she  received  from  Ketchum, 
dated  at  Rochester,  September  14th,  two  days  after  he  had 
parted  from  her,  at  Canandaigua.  This  letter  exhorted  her 
to  make  herself  contented — assured  her  that  her  husband 
was  well ;  but  protested  that  the  writer  could  neither  tell 
where  he  was,  nor  which  way  he  went.  It  cautioned  her 
to  keep  her  own  counsels — to  be  faithful  to  his  directions, 
given  her  at  Canandaigua — in  which  case,  he  assured  her, 
she  would  find  friends, — admonished  her  not  to  exchangk 


LETTER  XV.                                       161 
A  WORD  WITH  THE  PEHSON  WHO  IIAXBED  IIEIl  THE  LETTER 

told  her  to  write  to  hini  if  she  wanted  money — and  charged 
her  to  burn  his  letter  up  as  soon  as  she  had  perused  it.  Of 
course  such  a  communication  only  tended  to  increase  the 
mystery  already  shrouding  the  transaction,  while  it  also  in- 
creased the  now  rapidly  awakening  suspicion,  not  only  that 
all  was  not  right,  but  that  there  was  sometliing  to  be  dis- 
closed, flagrantly  wrong. 

The  agent  selected  for  the  purpose  above    mentioned 
proceeded  to  Canandaigua,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
his  appointment.     Morgan,  it  will  be  recollected,  had  been 
lodged  in  prison  on  the  evening  of  Monday,  the  11th  of 
September,  on  the  execution  procured  by  Cheseboro,  and  in 
the  manner  already  related.     The  information  procured  by 
this  agent, — Timothy  Fitch,  Esquire, — seemed  but  to  in- 
crease the  mystery  he  v/as   attempting  to  penetrate.     He 
procured   five   depositions,   and  made  a  sixth  himself,  in 
which  he  detailed  certain  important  information  communi- 
cated to  him  by  the  keeper  of  a  livery  stable,  named  Hiram 
Hopkins.     These  statements  disclosed  the  following  extra- 
ordinary facts :  Morgan  was  thrust  into  prison,  at  about  tlie 
hour  of  9  o'clock  in  the  evening.     Immediately  afterwards, 
on  the  same  night,  a  man  named  Loton  Lawson,  hired  a 
horse  of  Ackley,  avowedly  for  the  purpose  of  going  to  Ro- 
chester— distant  thirty  miles.     Ho    returned  early  in   tiie 
morning,  and  went  immediately  to  bed — informing  Ackley, 
the  inn-keeper,  that  some  gentlemen  from  Rochester  would 
call  for  him  in  the  course  of  the  day.     In  the  afternoon,  two 
men  from  Rochester,  viz :  Burrage  Smith,  and  John  Whit- 
ney, called,  agreeably  to  the  intimation.     Lawson  being 
aroused  from  his  sleep,  came  down  stairs,  and  all  three  went 
out  together.     In  the  evening  of  this  day — September  12 — 
(at  which  time,  it  will  be  remembered,  that,  under  delu- 
sive guidance,  tlie  alarmed  and  distracted  wife  of  Morgan 
was  engaged  in  hov  ineliectual  pursuit  of  one  'who  n.^ 

'21    • 


1G2  letti:r  xv, 

vcr  was  destined  to  return,) — Lawson  went  to  the  jail, 
and  applied  to  Mrs.  Hall,  the  w  ife  of  the  keeper — her  hus- 
band not  being  within  at  the  time, — for  permission  to  see 
Morgan,  and  have  some  private  conversation  with  him,  for 
which  purpose  he  desired  to  be  admitted  into  his  cell.  This 
request  was  refused,  and  eventually  Morgan  was  called  to 
the  door,  where  some  conversation  took  place  between 
them.  Lawson  informed  the  prisoner  that  he  had  come  to 
pay  the  debt  and  costs,  and  release  him  ;  and  asked  him 
whether,  on  being  discharged,  he  would  go  home  and  stay 
with  him  that  night ;  to  which  proposition  Morgan  replied 
in  the  affirmative.  Lawson  thereupon  requested  Mrs.  Hall 
to  let  him  out,  and  he  would  satisfy  the  execution.  But  the 
request  w^as  declined.  Her  husband  not  being  at  home,  Mrs. 
IL  was  p]  operly  cautious  in  her  proceedings  ;  and  besides, 
the  execution  being  locked  up  in  a  desk,  she  could  not  as- 
certain the  amount  due.  Lawson  then  said  he  would  pay 
the  amount  of  the  execution  when  Mr.  Kail  came  in  ;  but 
Morgan,  being  then  undressed  and  in  bed,  replied  that  it 
was  no  matter  that  night — the  affair  might  as  well  be  left 
till  morning.  Lawson,  however,  insisted  upon  doing  it  that 
night,  complaining,  at  the  same  time,  of  being  much  wearied, 
in  consequence  of  having  been  running  about  for  him  [Mor- 
gan,] all  day.  He  then  went  out,  as  he  said,  to  look  for 
the  jailor,  and  returned  in  about  half  an  hour,  averring  that 
he  had  been  at  every  place  where  it  was  likely  he  should 
find  the  keeper,  but  without  success.  He  was  now  accom- 
panied by  a  man  named  Foster,  as  he  called  himself,  but 
which  Mrs.  Hall  believed  was  an  assumed  name.  She 
thought  he  was  one  of  the  prisoners  on  the  limits.  Lawson 
again  pressed  Mrs.  Hall  to  release  Morgan,  proposing  to 
leave  five  dollars,  a  sum  much  greater  than  the  amount  due 
on  the  execution,  by  way  of  indemnity.  The  proposal  was 
again  declined — the  lady  stating  that  she  had  understood 
that  Morgan  was  a  rogue,— that  great  pains  had  been  tal;cii 


LETTER  XV.  163 

to  secure  him, — and  she  did  not  wish  to  let  a  rogue  out. 
Lawson  pressed  his  request  importunately,  and  ofiered  to 
leave  fifty  or  a  hundred  dollars  in  pledge,  to  bring  her  hus- 
band off  harmless,  if  she  consented.  Bat  she  was  inexora- 
ble, and  he  again  went  away.  While  these  proceedings 
were  going  on  without  the  debtor's  apartment,  Morgan  him- 
self seems  to  have  had  some  misgivings  as  to  the  motive  of 
the  proffered  kindness — observing  to  a  fellow  prisoner,  "that 
"  should  that  man  [Law^son,]  prove  a  traitor  to  him,  he  would 
"^not  give  much  for  his  lite."  The  applicant  soon  after- 
wards returned  once  more  to  the  jail,  accompanied  by  Col. 
Sawyer,  and  both  urged  Mrs.  Hall  again,  very  strongly,  to 
receive  the  money,  and  release  the  prisoner.  Being  still 
resolutely  refused,  they  went  away  in  pursuit,  as  they  said, 
of  Cheseboro,  whom  Mrs.  Hall  knew  as  the  plaintiff  in  the 
suit.  On  following  them  to  the  door,  Mrs.  H.  sav/  two  men 
near  by,  one  of  whom  proved  to  be  Cheseboro  himself.  On 
coming  up  to  the  jail,  he  directed  her  to  let  Morgan  go,  as 
these  men,  he  said,  would  pay  the  amount  of  the  execution, 
and  he  wanted  no  more  of  him.  The  money  having  been 
counted  down,  Mrs.  Hall  took  the  keys,  and  was  going  to 
release  the  prisoner,  when  Lawson  interposed,  and  said  he 
would  go  with  her — stepping  at  the  door  at  the  same  time, 
and  giving  a  shrill  whistle.  Mrs.  H.,  again  looking  out  of 
the  door  herself,  perceived  a  man,  whom  she  had  seen  with 
Lawson  at  an  earlier  hour  of  the  evening,  coming  towards 
the  steps.  On  reaching  the  outer  door  of  the  prison.  Law- 
son  told  her,  as  they  entered,  that  she  need  not  lock  that  af- 
ter them  ;  but  there  were  other  prisoners  in  custody,  and 
she  insisted  upon  doing  it.  She  unlocked  the  door  of  Mor- 
gan's apartment,  and  Lawson,  calling  to  him,  directed  him 
to  hasten,  and  dress  himself  quickly.  On  coming  out  of  the 
cell,  Lawson  took  him  by  the  arm,  though  not  in  an  unfriend- 
ly or  forcible  manner,  and  they  departed.  Before  Mrs.  H. 
liad  secured  the  fastenings  of  the  prison,  however,  she  heard 


164  LETTER  XV. 

the  cry  of  "  murder,"  and  hurrying  to  the  door,  saw  Mor- 
gan between  Lawson  and  the  other  man,  who  had  previ- 
ously approached  the  steps,  at  the  signal  of  the  whistling^ 
struggling  with  all  his  might,  and  crying  out  in  the  most  dis- 
tressing manner.  Both  Lawson  and  the  other  man  had 
hold  of  his  arms  ;  Morgan  exerting  himself  in  vain  to  get 
loose,  and  crying  out  until  his  voice  w'as  suppressed,  as  if 
by  something  thrust  suddenly  into,  or  placed  over  his  mouth, 
or  across  Ins  throat.  At  this  time,  and  while  they  were 
dragging  him  away,  Chcseboro  and  Sawyer  were  standing 
near  by,  without  showing  any  concern  in  the  transaction, 
w^liich  was  passing  before  them.  Morgan  having  been  tak- 
en out  of  sight,  a  violent  rap  with  a  stick,  was  made  upon 
the  curb  of  a  well,  and  a  carriage  drove  past,  following  in 
the  direction  taken  by  those  who  had  dragged  him  away. 
Immediately  after  the  carriage  passed,  Chcseboro  and  Saw« 
yer  went  off  in  the  same  direction — the  latter  picking  up 
and  taking  with  him  the  hat  of  Morgan,  which  had  been 
lost  in  the  ailray.  It  likewise  appeared,  from  the  evidence 
of  a  woman,  who  resided  opposite  the  jail,  that  sundry  men 
had  been  walking,  sitting,  and  standing,  about  the  premises, 
during  a  great  part  of  the  evening,  appearing  to  be  much 
engaged  in  consultations,  which  were  carried  on  in  an  un- 
der-tone  of  voice.  Among  these  men  she  recognized  Chcse- 
boro, Sawyer,  and  a  man  named  Chauncey  Coe.  This 
woman  likevv^ise  heard  the  cries  of  distress,  as  of  one  in  peril- 
ous circumstances  ;  and  from  tlie  suspicious  conduct  of  the 
persons  before  mentioned,  had  apj^rised  her  husband  of  her 
apprehensions  that  all  was  not  right.  After  the  noise  upon 
the  well-curb,  she  saw  the  carriage  of  Mr.  Hubbard,  with 
his  gray  horses — it  was  a  bright  moon-light  night — driving 
down  the  street,  in  the  direction  taken  by  the  men,  it  being 
at  the  time  empty ;  but  it  soon  re-passed,  taking  the  direc- 
tion to  Rochester,  having  several  persons  in  it.  These  facts 
were  all  distinctly  corroborated  by  other  deponents.    One 


LETTER  XV.  165 

of  tell],  Oil  iieariiig  tJie  noise,  went  to  the  door,  and  seeing 
the  struggle,  stepped  up  to  Col.  Sawyer,  who  was  a  little 
behind,  and  inquired  what  w^as  the  matter  ?  To  which  he 
replied : — "  Nothing,  only  a  man  just  let  out  of  jail,  has 
"  been  taken  on  a  warrant,-  and  is  going  to  be  tried."  Saw- 
yer being  a  respectable  man,  the  answer  was  satisfactory- 
The  statement  of  Hubbard  himself  was,  that  he  had  been 
engaged  by  a  man  whom  he  did  not  know,  to  take,  a  party 
in  his  carriage  to  Rochester,  on  the  night  in  question  ; — he 
expecting  them  to  start  from  Kingsley's  tavern.  At  about 
9  o'clock  in  the  evening,  however,  a  man  came  and  stated 
to  him,  that  the  party  had  gone  down  the  road  towards  Pal- 
myra, and  would  get  in  when  he  overtook  them.  He  there- 
upon drove  down  the  road  past  the  jail,  as  requested,  until 
he  saw  several  men  in  the  street,  w^ho  directed  him  to  stop. 
He  did  so,  and  five  or  six  of  them  got  into  the  carriage, 
directing  him  to  turn  round,  and  proceed  to  Rochester. 
Stopping  but  twice  on  the  way,  they  arrived  in  Rochester 
at  about  the  dawning  of  the  day,  but  passed  immediately 
through  that  town,  and  proceeded  to  Hanford's  Landing, 
three  miles  below,  where  he  understood  it  to  be  the  de- 
sire of  the  party  to  obtain  a  vessel.  He  drove  about 
eighty  rods  beyond  Hanford's,  towards  the  ridge  road, 
w^here  he  stopped — there  being  no  house  nearer  than  Han- 
ford's. His  party  alighted  here,  in  the  road,  near  to  a  piece 
of  woods.  He  then  turned  about  and  drove  back  to  Ro- 
chester,— meeting  two  carriages,  even  thus  early,  one  of 
which  was  of  a  green  or  cinnamon  color, — and  thence  pro- 
ceeded home, — not  knowing  either  of  the  party  w^ho  had 
ridden  with  him  ;  nor  received  any  pay;  nor  observed  any 
violence  practised  towards  any  one  of  the  company. 

Such  was  the  information  obtained  by  the  investigations 
at  Canandaigua  ;  and  it  may  readily  be  imagined  that  a  de- 
Velopement  of  facts  so  extraordinary  in  themselves,  was  httle 
calculated  to  allay  the  excitement  now  rapidly  enkindling 


166  LETTER  XV. 

in  Batavia,  and  the  country  adjacent.  Although  there  was 
no  positive  testimony  that  Morgan  had  been  carried  away 
in  the  carriage,  which  made  the  unusual  night-ride  from  Ca- 
nandaigua  to  Rochester  and  Hanford's  Landing,  yet  the 
circumstantial  evidence  was  so  strong  as  to  leave  no  ra- 
tional doubt  that  he  had  been  spirited  away,  in  the  manner 
related.  The  circumstances  of  the  transaction  assumed  a 
more  alarming  character,  and  a  darker  shade  of  suspicion 
was  cast  around  them,  at  every  new  disclosure.  It  had 
already  been  ascertained,  that,  when  the  attack  upon  Mil- 
ler's office  was  to  have  been  made,  on  the  night  of  the  8th 
of  September,  there  was  a  party  of  fifteen  or  twenty  men, 
connected  with  the  conspiracy,  assembled  at  a  tavern  four 
miles  west  of  Batavia,  who  had  come  all  the  way  from  Buf- 
falo ;  a  large  party  had  gathered  at  Stafford,  six  miles  east, 
composed  of  men  from  many  quarters, — some  of  them  even 
from  Canada.  These  had  marched  into  the  village,  through 
different  parts  of  which  squads  were  distributed.  Others 
had  gathered  there  from  Lockport  and  its  vicinity.  And 
the  occurrences  and  discoveries  made  at  Canandaigua,  pro- 
ved, very  satisfactorily,  that,  in  that  village,  and  in  Roches- 
ter also,  there  w^ere  men  of  character  and  respectability, 
intimately  associated  with,  and  some  of  them  active  agents 
in,  these  transactions.  It  was  therefore  clear,  that  the  con- 
spiracy was  widely  extended,  comprehending  in  its  ranks 
men  high  in  the  confidence  of  the  public,  and  against  whose 
good  names  the  breath  of  scandal  had  hitherto  never  whis- 
pered a  reproach.  These  facts  began  to  arrest  the  deep 
attention  of  the  public.  A  fellow  citizen,  an  American  free- 
man, guilty  of  no  crime  within  the  cognizance  of  the  laws 
of  the  land,  and  living  under  their  protection,  had  been  re- 
moved from  among  them  by  means  unknown,  and  in  a  man- 
ner unexampled  in  the  annals  of  the  nation.  He  had  been 
kidnapped  in  the  face  of  day,  under  the  disguise  of  the  law, 
and  held  in  duress  by  its  forms,  until  the  arrangements  for 


LETTER  XV.  167 

his  abduction  were  completed ;  after  which  he  had  been 
hurried  mysteriously  away,  and  left  among  men  unknown, 
under  circumstances  of  time  and    place,  awakening  the 
strongest  suspicions  that  the  crime  of  murder  had  probably 
been  added  to  the  other  outrages  that  had  been  witnessed. 
Under  this  aspect  of  the  case,  a  public  meeting  was  con- 
vened at  Batavia,  on  the  25th  of  September,  and  another  on 
the  4th  of  October.     These  meetings  were  numerously  at- 
tended, and  their  proceedings  were  of  an  impressive  char- 
acter.    The  very  fact,  perhaps,  of  the  poverty,  and  low 
standing  of  the  victim,  contributed  essentially  to  the  inter- 
est of  the  occasion,  and  the  determination  of  the  people  to 
ascertain   his   fate,  and,  if   possible,  avenge   his   wrongs. 
The  facts  laid  before  the  meeting  were  such  as  caused  tlie 
lightning  of  popular  indignation  to  flash  from  the  eyes  of  the 
assembled  multitude.    It  did  not — it  could  not  appear — that 
all  those  who  belonged  to  the  masonic  fraternity,  were  con- 
cerned in  the  conspiracy.     Many  of  the  most  respectable 
of  these  were  among  the  foremost  in  resenting  the  outrage 
upon  the  laws,  and  demanding  an  investigation.     But  it  did 
appear,  that  all  those  engaged  in  the  conspiracy,  so  far  as 
the  facts  had  been  ascertained,  were  Freemasons — the  most 
zealous  and  active   of  the  order.      And   there   were  not 
wanting  those  amongst  them,  who  ridiculed  these  manifesta- 
tions of  the  public  feehng,  and  added  to  the  public  indigna- 
tion, by  laughing  at  their  anxiety  to  ascertain  what  had  been 
done  with  the  absentee.    A  committee  of  ten  highly  respect- 
able citizens  was  appointed  by  the  meeting,  with  instructions 
to  follow  up  the  investigations  that  had  been  commenced^ 
in  order,  if  possible,  to  discover  the  person  of  Morgan,  if 
living,  or  his  body  if  dead,  and  bring  the  guilty  to  punish- 
ment.    This   committee   entered  upon  the  immediate  dis- 
charge of  its  duties,  and  published  a  notice  to  the  public, 
briefly  setting  forth  the  nature  of  the  outrage  that  had  been 
committed — acknowledging  the  fears  entertained  tii9.t  Mor- 


168  LETTER  XV. 

gaii  had  been  murdered,  but  expressing  a  "hope,  at  the  same 
time,  that  he  might  only  have  been  kept  in  conceahnent,  or 
imprisoned  in  Canada — and  caHing  upon  the  people  gene*- 
rally  to  assist,  by  the  discovery,  if  possible,  of  the  victim,  in 
allaying  such  painful  apprehensions.  The  committee  like- 
wise sent  an  agent  to  make  inquiries  along  the  road  from 
Hanford's  Landing  to  Lewiston  and  Niagara. 

On  the  2d  of  October,  the  committee  appointed  at  the  first 
meeting  of  the  citizens  at  Batavia,  addressed  a  letter  to  Gov. 
Clinton,-  enclosing  him  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  that 
meeting,  together  with  the  depositions  which  had  been  tak- 
en at  Canandaigua.  In  that  letter,  the  committee  invoked 
the  prompt  interposition  of  the  governor,  that  a  speedy  and 
vigorous  investigation  might  be  had.  '•  The  excitement 
"which  pervades  the  people  in  this  section  of  the  state,"  say 
the  committee,  "  for  many  miles  around,  has  assumed  an  ap^ 
"  pearance  which  we  think  is  a  just  subject  of  alarm — an  ex- 
"  citement  which  it  will  be  difficult  to  restrain  or  allay,  un- 
"  less  the  cause  be  investigated  and  removed."  They  there- 
fore prayed  the  governor  "  to  take  such  measures  as  might 
"  be  within  his  prerogative  to  redress  private  wrongs,  secure 
"individual  rights,  and  restore  public  peace  and  tranquil- 
"  lity."  This  letter  was  received  by  Gov.  Clinton  on  the 
6th ;  and  on  the  following  day  his  excellency  transmitted 
to  Mr.  Talbot,  chairman  of  the  committee  at  Batavia,  his 
first  proclamation  upon  this  subject, — setting  forth  the  evils 
to  be  apprehended  from  such  violations  of  the  public  peace 
as  those  complained  of,  and  enjoining  it  upon  the  state  offi- 
cers and  ministers  of  justice  to  pursue  all  proper  and  effi- 
cient measures,  for  the  apprehension  of  the  offenders,  and 
<:ommanding  the  co-operation  of  the  people  in  maintaining 
the  ascendancy  of  the  laws.*  This  proclamation  was  en- 
closed in  a  private  letter,  of  which  I  find  the  following  draft 
among  the  papers  of  that  l^mentec}  man : — 

*  Vide  appendix,  D. 


LETTER  XV.  169 

"  Albamj,  Itli  of  October,  1826. 
*^  Gentlemen, 

"  I  received  your  communication  yesterday,  by  Mr. 
Evans,  and  after  mature  deliberation,  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  enclosed  paper,  which  you  are  authoris- 
ed to  publish,  will  answer  the  purpose  of  maintaining  the 
peace  and  good  order  of  the  community.  Indeed,  I  do  not 
see  how  I  can  interfere  to  a  gi'cater  extent  at  present. 
Any  forcible  opposition  to  the  execution  of  the  laws  which 
cannot  be  put  down  by  the  civil  authority,  must  be  met  in 
another  shape ;  but,  as  it  does  not  appear  that  any  such 
has  been  exhibited,  and  I  trust  that  none  will  be,  the  ma- 
gistrates of  the  county  must  proceed,  in  the  ordinary 
t^hannels  of  justice,  to  arrest  the  oilenders,  to  vindicate  the 
rights,  and  to  protect  the  property,  liberty,  and  persons,  of 
individuals,  and  to  maintain  the  ascendency  of  the  laws : 
and  if  there  should  prove  to  be  any  delinquency  on  this 
occasion,  measures  suitable  to  such  default  will  be  prompt- 
ly pursued. 

"  As  it  appears  that  the  principal  offenders  are  known,  I 
have  not  thought  it  necessary  to  offer  any  specific  reward 
for  their  detection  and  apprehension ;  but  I  am  willing  to 
pay  any  reasonable  and  necessary  expenses  that  may  be 
incurred  for  those  purposes.  Deeply  regretting,  and  en- 
tirely condemning  the  outrages  of  which  you  complain, 
nothing  shall  be  wanting  on  my  part,  that  is  due  to  the  oc- 
casion, and  the  emergency.  Nothing  can  justify  a  resort 
to  personal  violence,  or  an  aggression  upon  the  peace  of 
society  ;  and  no  person  can  be  punished  for  his  acts,  how- 
ever deplorable  or  depraved,  except  by  the  legitimate 
authorities  of  the  country.         I  am,  &c. 

«  DE  WITT  CLINTON. 
•'  To  Tkeodore  F.  Talbot,  and  others, 

"  A  Committee  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  Genesee 
••  countv.*- 

^2 


170  3.ETTER  XV. 

The  effect  of  the  meetings  at  Batavia,  In  directing  the 
pubhc  attention  to  the  subject,  was  prodigious.  Every  man 
who  atteiided  them,  returned  to  lids  home  in  a  high  degree 
of  excitement,  communicating  his  feelings  to  his  neighbors, 
who,  in  turn,  imparted  like  feelings  to  others,  until,  like  the 
spreading  fires  which  sometimes  sweep  with  irresistabk 
and  desolating  fury  over  the  wide  prairies  of  the  west,  that 
whole  district  of  country  was  agitated  by  an  unappeasable 
spirit  of  indignation.  The  example  of  convoking  pubhc 
meetings  was  followed  in  many  other  places,  particularly 
in  the  counties  of  Livingston,  Ontario,  Monroe,  and  Niaga- 
ra, in  each  of  which  similar  committees  were  appointed^ 
and  the  deternfiination  w^as  nearly  universal,  that  the  mys- 
tery should  be  probed  to  the  bottom.* 

Unhappily,  however,  a  very  different  feeling  pervaded 
the  bosoms  of  a  portion  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  which 
was  but  ill-concealed  ;  nay,  this  counter-feeling  was  fre- 
quently and  openly  avowed.  I  have  already  more  than  in- 
timated this  disgraceful,  and,  to  me,  exceedingly  painful 
fact ;  and  in  order  to  a  just  understanding  of  the  case,  and 
to  show  how^  it  happened  that  the  public  mind  became 
w^rought  up  to  so  higii  a  pitch  of  exasperation  against  the 
w^hole  masonic  fraternity,  not  only  tliere,  but  elsewhere, 
without  discrimination,  or  distinction  of  persons,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  1  should  be  more  specific.  It  is  unquestionably 
true,  then,  that  those  of  the  fraternity  who  were  directly 
accessary  to  the  abduction,  so  far  from  countenancing  the 
generous  and  righteous  spirit  which  had  gone  forth,  either 
openly  justified  the  act,  or  treated  the  matter  w^ith  levity 
and  ridicule.  Even  the  distress  of  Mrs.  Morgan  was  scout- 
ed by  them,  not  only  in  conversations,  but  repeatedly  in  the 

♦  0epiTta!ions  from  these  committees  subsequcDtly  assembled  at  Lewis- 
ton,  as  a  convention,  and  franud  the  <  eh  hmt(>d  rej,oit  of  the  facts  which 
had  been  ehcited  by  their  exertions.  That  report  was  drawn  up  with  jirrat 
care,  and  the  ociu^ral  accuracy  of  its  statements  has  stood  the  test  of  the 
most  rigid  examination.  To  its  pages  [  ihall  have  frequent  recourse  in  com- 
piling the  present  uurritlivc. 


LETTER  XV.  171 

public  newspapers  ; — in  many  of  which  the  whole  subject 
was  treated  as  a  hoax,  while  by  far  the  greatest  number,  it 
was  passed  over  in  comparative  silence.  Cheseboro  had  at 
one  time  declared  that  "  Morgan  had  gone  where  Miller 
**  would  never  see  him  again."  We  have  the  evidence  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard,  of  the  baptist  denomination,  whose 
veracity  is  unquestioned,  that  previously  to  the  abduction, 
when  the  publication  was  talked  of,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason, 
then,  also,  a  clergyman,  in  good  standing,  remarked,  ^'^  that 
*^  Morgan's  writing  Masonry  was  the  greatest  piece  of  de- 
"  pravity  he  ever  knew  ;  that  some  measures  must  be  taken 
*'  to  stop  it ;  that  he  would  be  one  of  a  number  to  put  him 
^*  out  of  the  way ;  that  God  looked  upon  the  institution  with 
"  so  much  complacency,  that  he  would  never  bring  the  per- 
"petrators  to  light."  &c.  After  the  abduction,  and  while 
ids  fate  was  a  matter  of  doubt,  Mr.  Barnard  states  that  the 
Masons  in  that  neighborhood,  justified  the  abduction,  and 
tfie  murder  also, — ^should  a  murder  have  taken  place«  A 
meeting  of  the  Covington  Lodge,  to  which  Mr,  R  beio^iged, 
having  been  called,  for  the  purpose  of  coi>certing  measures 
of  agreement  among  the  fraternity,  Mr.  B.  attended,  and  ex- 
pressed his  abhorrence  at  the  conduct  of  their  brethren,  in 
this  matter.  His  rebuke  at  once  kindled  the  lodge  with  an- 
ger, and  he  was  scandalously  assailed  witli  abuse.  A 
Knight  Templar  present,  declared,  that  i '  Morgan  had  been 
writing  Masonry,  and  if  his  throat  had  been  cut,  and  his 
tongue  torn  out  by  the  roots,  &c.,  he  could  not  complain  in 
liot  having  justice  done  him.  For  dissenting  with  firmness, 
from  such  horrible  principles,  EJder  B.  was  expelled.  Gan- 
son,  who  has  so  often  been  mentioned,  jeered  at  the  commit- 
tee, and  told  them,  "  that  if  they  could  hang,  draw  and 
"  quarter  all  the  Masons  who  liad  a  hand  in  his  abduction, 
"they  could  not  get  him  back.;"  he  declared  that  "  he  was 
"  not  dead,  but  was  put  where  he  would  stay  put,  until  God 
•^  Almighty  should  call  for  him,"     A  public  officer  at  Buf- 


172 


LETTER  XV 


falo,  declared  his  astonishment  that  Miller  should  have  been 
permitted  to  proceed  so  far — (as  far  only  as  they  then  sup^ 
posed  he  had,) — in  printing  the  book,  adding,  "  that  should 
"  Morgan  come  there,  there  were  twenty  men  who  would 
"  take  his  life  in  less  than  half  an  hour."     In  the  town  of 
Attica,  a  Mason,  who  had  been  a  member  of  the  legislature, 
said  : — "  If  tliey  are  publishing  the  true  secrets  of  Mason- 
"  ry^  he  should  not  think  the  lives  of  half  a  dozen  such  men 
"  as  Morgan  and  Miller  of  any  consequence  in  suppressing 
"the  work."     A  Mason  in  Le  Roy,  a  physician,  and  for- 
merly a  sherifl'  of  the  county,  declared,  that  "  the  book  should 
"  be  suppressed,  if  it  cost  every  one  of  them  their  lives." 
A  magistrate  of  the  same  town  openly  declared,  that  "  if  he 
"  could  catch  Pdorgan  on  the  bridge  in  the  night,  he  w^ould 
"  find  the  bottom  of  that  mill-pond" — pointing  to  one  near 
by.     A  judge  of  the  court  of  Genesee  county,  remarked, 
that  "  whatever  Morgan's  fate  might  have  been,  he  deserv- 
"  ed  it — he  had  forfeited  his  life."     A  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
Le  Roy,  declared,  "  that  Morgan  deserved  death,  and  ho 
"  hoped  he  had  received  it" — "  a  common  death,"  he  added 
"  was  too  good  for  him."    Another  magistrate,  always  count- 
ed a  worthy  citizen,  asked — "  What  can  you  do  ?  what  can 
*'  a  cat  do  with  a  lion  ?  who  are  your  judges  ?  who  are  your 
"  sheriifs  ?  and  who  will  be  your  jurymen  ?"     The  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  were  ironically  asked — "have  you 
"  found  Morgan  yet  V     They  were  assured  that  their  ef- 
forts would   be    unavailing.     Gentlemen   were    cautioned 
against  acting  on  the  committees ;  and  were  openly  told, 
that  whatever  the  Masons  might  have  done  with  Morgan, 
it  was  all  right — it  was  a  matter  of  concern  to  none  but 
themselves  ;  that  they  had  a  right  to  deal  with  their  own 
members  according  to  their  own  laws,  &c.     Such,  sir,  was 
the  language — not,  by  any  means,  of  all — but  of  far  too 
many  members  of  the  fraternity,  in  the  region  where  the 
outrage  was  committed.     Nor  were  these  remarks,  and 


LETTER  XV.  '  173 

thousands  of  others  of  similar  and  shocking  import,  confined 
to  a  single  neighborhood,  or  spoken  in  a  corner,  as  you 
will  have  seen.     And  as  these  facts  and  declarations  were 
repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  spread  abroad  over  the 
face  of  the  land,  is  it  strange,  that  the  excitement  should 
have   been   created, — that  the  anger  of  the  people  should 
have  been  stirred  up, — that  their  wrath  should  have   burnt 
like  a  furnace  ?     Nay,  sir,  would  it  not  have  been  far  more 
strange,  among  a  people  like  the  American,  if  such  a  spirit 
had  not  been  awakened  ?     It  was  a  "  blessed  spirit,"  as  it 
was  once  emphatically  declared  to  be,  by  the  gentleman 
who  at  the  present  time  is  governor  of  New- York.     True, 
it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted,  that  in  the  progress  of  the  ex- 
citement, it  was  carried  to  such  extremes,  and  that  the  pub- 
lic vengeance  was  so  far  directed  against  the  innocent  as 
well  as  the  guilty.     Allowance,  however,  is  to  be  made  for 
the  people,  from  the  peculiarity  of  the  case.     The  authors 
of  the  outrage  were  active  Freemasons,  and  it  was  in  their 
zeal  for  the  safety  of  that  institution,  as  they  openly  avowed, 
that  they  had  done  this  thing.     The  great  body  of  the  peo- 
ple, who  had  been  aroused  into  action  upon  this  occasion, 
were  not  Masons.     They  knew  nothing  of  the  constitution 
of  the  society.     They  only  knew  that  its  proceedings  were 
veiled  in  impenetrable  secrecy, — of  such  societies  the  peo- 
ple are   always  jealous, — and  they  supposed  that  once  a 
Mason,  always  a  Mason.     They  had  no  idea  that  more  than 
two  thirds  of  those  who  have  taken  the  degrees,   speedily 
relinquish  their  attendance  and  membership  ;  and  that,  for- 
getting, soon  afterwards,  what  little  they  have  imperfectly 
learned,  they  fall  back  among  the  people,  and  remain,  in 
fact,  during  the  whole  after-course  of  their  lives.  Masons 
merely  in  name,  without  retaining  a  sufficient  knowledge  of 
the  mighty  mysteries,  to  work  themselves  into  an  Entered 
Apprentices'  Lodge.     These  were  facts  which  the  uninitia- 


w 


174  LETTER  XV. 

fed,  forming  the  great  mass  of  the  people,  could  not  know 
or  comprehend.  Hence,  in  their  denunciations  of  the  se- 
cret crime  they  were  now  endeavoring  to  disclose  and 
avenge,  they  very  naturally  included  the  whole  body  ; — 
the  more  readily,  beyond  a  doubt,  because  of  the  silly 
boastings  of  weak  members  of  the  brotherhood,  in  regard 
to  the  extent,  the  power,  the  influence,  and  the  universal 
identity  of  the  masonic  institution,  in  all  ages  and  countries, 
and  under  all  circumstances,  together  with  its  universal 
knowledge  of  all  things  connected  with  it.  Worse  conse- 
quences followed  still.  Aspiring  politicians  seized  upon  the 
opportunity  to  convert  a  high  and  holy  feeling  of  indigna- 
tion, to  the  purposes  of  their  political  advancement.  The 
])eople  were  stimulated  on  the  one  hand  to  push  matters  to 
the  extremes  of  persecution ;  and  persecution,  in  any  cause, 
begets  opposition.  The  next,  and  a  necessary  consequence, 
was  to  arouse  the  feelings  of  the  whole  fraternity,  and,  with 
few  exceptions,  array  the  innocent  and  the  guilty  in  the 
same  ranks. 

While  the  storm  of  popular  fury  was  only  directed  against 
the  heads  of  the  guilty,  the  inactive  and  merely  nominal 
members  were  bidding  it  roll  on  ;  but  when  the  anathe- 
mas of  the  assailants  began  to  be  hurled  in  a  spirit  of  bitter 
and  vindictive  persecution,  against  all  those,  without  any 
discrimination,  (unless  by  public  renunciations  they  confes- 
sed themselves  to  have  been  either  knaves  or  fools,)  whQhad 
(^ver  entered  a  lodge-room,  they  rallied  in  defence  of  their 
own  rights.  Thus  hundreds,  and  perhaps  thousands  of 
Masons,  rose  up  in  opposition  to  Anti-masonry,  some  of 
them  even  mounting  the  apron  again,  who,  but  for  the  belief 
that  they  were  persecuted,  and  for  a  spirit  that  would  not 
brook  being  trampled  on,  would  have  bidden  the  Anti-masons 
God-speed,  without  the  thought  of  ever  crossing  the  thresh- 
hold  of  a  masonic  temple  again.     Still,  it  will  appear  in 


LETTER  XVr.  175 

the  developemGnts  of  this  history,  that  the  pubHc  had  but 
too  frequent  cause  to  continue  their  jealousy  and  hatred  of 
Free-masonry. 

But  I  forbear.  This  digression  is  probably  too  long  al- 
ready. I  have  been  drawn  into  it,  in  this  place,  rather  un- 
awares. It  is,  however,  a  just  view  of  this  feature  of  the 
case ;  and  from  it  I  trust  you  will  perceive,  that,  even  in 
the  early  stages  of  the  excitement,  the  faults  were  not  alto- 
gether upon  one  side.  Could  the  entire  body  of  Free-ma- 
sons, who  were  as  ignorant  as  myself  of  the  whole  Morgan 
business,  until  months  after  it  transpired,  have  looked  upon 
the  matter  as  I  have  uniformly  done,  I  can  but  think  that  the 
result,  so  far  as  it  respects  the  public  and  political  tranquili- 
ty of  those  portions  of  the  country  where  Masonry  and 
Anti-masonry  have  come  into  colhsion,  would  have  been 
widely  different  from  what  we  have  seen. 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly  yoprs.* 


LETTER    XVI. 

New- York,  Feb.  10,  1832i 
Sm, 

All  traces  of  Morgan  had  been  lost  at  Hanford's  Land- 
ing ;  and  the  hope,  for  a  time  entertained,  that  he  rtiight 
even  yet  reappear,  when  his  kidnappers  should  have  either 
succeeded,  or  failed,  in  their  attempts  to  suppress  his  booL 
either  by  compromise  or  intimidation,  had  disappeared. 
And  yet,  regardless  of  the  deep  manifestations  of  public 
feeling  around,  and  the  tempest  breaking  fearfully  in  all  di- 
rections over  them — with  a  fatuity  illustrating  most  fully 
the  Roman  maxim,  that  the  Deity  first  afflicts  with  mad- 
nes  those  whom  he  intends  to  destroy, — the  authors  of  the 
mischief  were  still  exulting  in  the  belief  that  tbcir  great  ob- 


176  LETTER  XVI.  n 

ject  had  been  accomplished,  and  that  the  wonderful  revela- 
tions which  were  to  have  buried  all  the  wisdom  of  Solomon 
beneath  the  ruins  of  the  masonic  temple,  had  been  effectu- 
ally suppressed.  It  was  at  this  crisis,  when  the  Masons 
were  reposing  in  fancied  security,  and  ridiculing  the  efforts 
of  the  various  committees  of  investigation,  now  in  full  ac- 
tion, that,  of  a  sudden,  the  hated  work,  to  suppress  which, 
so  much  pains  had  been  taken,  so  much  time  and  money  ex- 
pended, and  so  many  crimes  committed, — was  issued  forth 
to  the  world.  It  purported  to  be  a  complete  and  entire  re- 
velation of  the  secrets  of  the  first  three  degrees  of  Free- 
masonry, and  was  accompanied  with  a  notice  that  the  il- 
lustrations of  the  higher  degrees,  would  be  shortly  forth- 
coming. The  discomfiture  of  the  conspirators  was  com- 
plete ;  their  chagrin  unspeakable  ;  their  anger  without 
bounds  ; — and  many  and  bitter  were  the  imprecations 
showered  upon  the  head  alike  of  author  and  publisher. 

It  forms  no  part  of  the  task  I  have  assumed,  to  discuss 
the  claims  which  these  revelations  have  to  entire  authentici- 
ty. Upon  this  point  the  public  were  probably  enabled  to 
draw  a  tolerably  correct  conclusion,  from  the  unparalleled 
exertions  made  by  the  fraternity,  in  the  first  instance,  to 
suppress,  and  when  that  end  had  failed,  to  discredit  them. 
The  distant  masonic  associations,  moreover,  were  taught 
to  believe  there  was  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  these 
disclosures,  by  the  arrival  of  confidential  messengers  from 
the  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New- York,  with  an  ad- 
ditional check-word,  to  guard  the  lodges  from  the  intrusion 
of  "  Morgan  Masons,"  as  the  readers  of  his  book  were  called. 
This  check-word  I  have  never  received  as  a  Mason  ;  but 
I  am  told  the  fraternity  have  not  been  strong  enough  to  keep 
it,  and  that  it  is  published,  among  other  precious  secrets,  in 
"  Allyn's  Ritual."  If  these  circumstances  do  not  fix  the 
character  of  the  revelations  in  question,  perhaps  a  still 
stvonorer  inference  mav  be  drawn  from  the  fact,  that  Mor- 


LETTER  XVI.  177 

gan,  whether  dead  or  living,  was  every  where,  by  the  united 
voice  of  Masonry,  denounced  as  a  perjured  traitor  to 
the  institution.  He  could  not  have  been  a  traitor,  if  his 
revelations  v^ere  fictions,  but  only  an  impostor  upon  the  pub- 
lic, as  the  world  believed  the  author  of  "  Jachin  and  Boaz" 
to  have  been* 

But  in  any  event,  although  Morgan  has  been  canonized, 
as  it  were,  by  the  writers  upon  Anti-masonry,  yet  I  cannot 
help  looking  upon  his  conduct  as  most  unjustifiable  and 
wicked.  If  he  had  actually  received  the  first  three  de- 
grees within  the  doors  of  a  regularly  constituted  lodge,  he 
was  certainly  bound  by  the  strongest  possible  considera- 
tions, to  maintain  his  promises  inviolate,  unless,  as  some  of 
the  anti-masonic  writers  have  falsely  contended,  those  pro- 
mises were  extorted  by  coercion,  in  which  case  of  course, 
they  had  no  vaUdity ;  or,  unless  the  faithful  performance 
of  such  promises,  should  become  unlawful.  Thus,  if  he 
were  summoned  into  a  court  of  justice,  and  the  due  execu- 
tion of  the  civil  law  required  of  him  the  disclosure  of  the 
secrets  of  the  order,  he  would  be  relieved  from  the  inferior 
obligation.  Nay,  it  would  be  his  duty  to  disclose  the  se- 
crets. And  here,  as  one  of  the  objections  to  the  order  of 
Masonry  itself,  the  advice  of  Paley  is  directly  to  the  pur- 
pose— "  never  to  give  a  promise  which  may  interfere  in  the 
"  event  with  duty  ;"  "  for,"  says  he,  "  if  it  do  so  interfere, 
"  the  duty  must  be  discharged,  though  at  the  expense  of  the 
**  promise,  and  not  unusually  of  good  name."  Paley  thus 
sustains  my  view  of  the  case,  in  its  fullest  extent.  But,  set- 
ting aside  his  oaths,  which,  being  extra-judicial,  I  am  dispo- 
sed to  treat  only  in  the  light  of  solemn  promises,  or  vows, 
his  violation  of  them,  as  such,  cannot  be  justified,  unless, 
from  the  strongest  convictions  of  his  conscience  and  judg- 
ment, he  was  persuaded  that  the  promises  were  in  them- 
selves unlawful.     "  The  guilt  of  such  promises,"  says  the 

ethical  philosopher  just  quoted,  "  lies  in  the  making,  not  in 

23 


178  LETTER  XVI. 

"  the  breaking,  of  them  ;  and  if,  in  the  interval  betwixt  the 
*^  promise  and  the  performance,  a  man  so  far  recover  his 
"  reflection,  as  to  repent  of  his  engagements,  he  ought  cer- 
"  tainly  to  break  through  them."     But  no  such  case  of  con- 
science could  have  arisen  with  Morgan,  so  long  as  he  con- 
tinued to  practise  the  social  and  benevolent  duties  inculca- 
ted upon  him  as  a  Mason,  unmingled  with  any  of  its  abuses, 
or,  so  long  as  he  had  perceived  no  abuses  to  charge  upon 
the  order — and  I  have  never  heard  that  he  alledged  any  ; — 
"for," says  the  same  standard  authority,  "a  promise  cannot  be 
"  deemed  unlawful,  where  it  produces,  when  performed,  no 
"  effect,  beyond  what  would  have  taken  place,  had  the  pro- 
"  mise  never  been  made."     This  rule  may  be  considered  a 
sound  one,  except  perhaps,  in  a  class  of  extreme  cases,  of 
which  Morgan's  was  not  one.     His  case,  besides,  was  nei- 
ther of  these,  nor  was  he  prompted  to  the  disclosure  by  the 
burden  of  secret- oaths  which  he  abhorred.     On  the  contra- 
ry, he  was  actuated  by  two  of  the  worst  passions  which 
infest  the  human  heart — avarice,  and  revenge.     The  fact 
in  respect  to  the  latter  point,  I  have  established  in  a  former 
communication.     It  will  be  equally  easy  to  prove  the  other 
point ;  and  not  only  that,  but  to  show,  that  in  using  the 
means  of  obtaining  the  lucre  he  coveted,  he  was  at  the  same 
time  desirous  of  escaping  public  responsibility,  by  a  resort 
to  the  same  secret  oaths  which  have  been  so  violently  con- 
demned.    His  feelings  of  vengeance  had  been  aroused  by 
his  exclusion  from  the   Batavia  chapter  ;  and  in  gratifying- 
this  passion,  he  saw,  or  thought  he  saw,  a  sure  and  certain 
"  way  to  wealth."     Accordingly,  amongst  the  papers  found 
when  his  premises  were  first  searched,  was  a  written  oath, 
or  obligation,  subscribed,  and  certified  to  have  been  sworn 
to  by  his  partners  in  the  proposed  publication,  wherein  they 
solemnly  promised  and  swore,  on  the  Holy  Evangelists  of 
Almighty  God,  not  to  communicate  or  make  known,  in  any 
manner,  to  any  person  or  persons  in  the  known  world,  the 


LETTER  XVI.  179 

intentions  of  their  principal  to  publish  a  book  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  Masonry,  "  neither  by  writing,  marking,  or  by  insin- 
"  uations,"  or  in  any  other  manner  whatsoever.  There  was 
likewise  found  among  the  papers,  a  bond  executed  to  Mor- 
gan, by  Miller,  Russel  Dyer,  and  John  Davids,  his  three 
partners  in  the  work,  in  the  penal  sum  of  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  conditioned  for  the  payment  of  one  fourth  part 
of  the  money  that  should  be  received  from  the  sales  of  the 
book.  There  was,  moreover,  another  paper,  being  the  copy 
of  a  letter  purporting  to  have  been  addressed  to  these  part- 
ners, by  which  it  appeared  that  they  already  had  had  a 
quarrel,  in  anticipation  of  the  division  of  the  profits  to 
arise  from  the  sale  of  the  publication.  A  copy-right  was 
taken  out  for  the  work,  and  it  was  supposed  that  the  sales 
would  inevitably  be  enormous.  Indeed,  Ketchum,  in  his 
conversations  with  Mrs.  Morgan,  during  the  journey  to  Ca- 
nandaigua,  told  her  that  if  her  husband  had  managed  the 
business  with  discretion,  he  might  have  realized  a  million  of 
money.  Such,  undoubtedly,  were  the  excited  expectations 
of  the  parties  themselves. 

I  repeat  therefore,  that  Morgan  has  no  claims  to  the  hon* 
ors  of  martyrdom,  on  the  score  of  moral  obligation.  The 
motives  for  his  disclosures  were  clearly  sordid  and  base ; 
and  his  conduct  in  making  them  was  consequently  in  every 
sense  unjustifiable.  If  he  was  a  true  Mason,  his  revela- 
tions were  so  many  violations  of  confidence,  faith,  honor, 
and,  which  is  above,  and  over  all — of  truth.  "  Confidence 
*'  in  promises,"  says  Paley,  "  is  essential  in  the  intercourse  of 
"  human  life  ;  because,  without  it,  the  greatest  part  of  our 
*•  conduct  would  proceed  upon  chance.  But  there  could  bo 
"  no  confidence  in  promises,  if  men  were  not  obliged  to  per- 
"  form  them ;  the  obligation  therefore  to  perform  promises, 
"  is  essential,  to  the  same  ends,  and  in  the  same  degree." 
•'  There  is  no  vice,"  says  lord  Bacon,  *•  that  doth  so  cover 
"  a  man  with  shame,  as  to  be  found  false  and  perfidious." 


18^  LETTER  XVI. 

The  case  of  other  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity, 
however,  who  have  disclosed  the  secrets  of  the  institution, 
or  borne  testimony  to  the  general  accuracy  of  Morgan's 
illustrations,  as  for  instance,  of  the  members  of  the  Le  Roy 
convention,  to  be  more  particularly  mentioned  hereafter,  is 
widely  different  from  that  of  Morgan.     So,  also,  in  respect 
of  many  clergymen,  and  other  pious  individuals,  who  have 
taken  the  same  course.     These  gentlemen,  as  we  are  bound 
to  believe,  have  acted  from  a  high  and  powerful  sense  of 
moral  and  religious  duty.    They  have  seen  that  a  succession 
of  lawless  outrages,  ending,  most  probably,  in  the  perpetra- 
tion of  a  great  crime,  have  been  committed  by  Masons,  act- 
ing avowedly  as  such.     They  have  likewise  seen  Masons,  on 
the  stand,  maintaining  that  the  masonic  is  of  higher  powder 
than  the  civil  obligation.  And  they  have  been  made  to  believe 
— whether  truly  or  not,  does  not  affect  the  moral  character 
of  the  case — they  have  been  made  conscientiously  to  believe, 
that  the  crimes  which  they  have  seen,  or  of  which  they  have 
heard,  have  sprung  from  the  nature  and  principles  of  the  in- 
stitution itself;  and  that  those  crimes  are  not  only  sanction- 
ed, but  in  certain  emergencies,    required  by  its  obliga- 
tions.    Hence  they  have  renounced,  and  denounced,  and 
concurred  in  the  exposure  of  these  alledged  obligations, 
with  the  view  of  aiding  in  the  destruction  of  an  institution, 
frau^jht,  as  they  have  recently  been  taught  to  believe,  with 
so  much  iniquity.     Nor,  if  we  come  to  the  point  of  strict 
construction,  have  they  disclosed  any  secrets,  since  those 
things  can  scarcely  be  called  secret,  which  are  published  in 
thousands  of  shapes  and  forms,  to  the  whole  world.     But 
even  were  it  otherwise,  those  late,  or  remaining  members 
of  the  order,  of  whom  I  am  now  speaking,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances supposed,  would   find  a  sufficient  warrant  for 
the  course  they  have  taken,  upon  sound  principles  of  moral 
philosophy.     For,   says  the  reverend  and   learned   John 
Brown,  "  in  all  vows  and  promissory  oaths,  the  matter  must 


LETTER  XVI.  181 

*'  be  both  lawful  and  expedient,  and  in  our  power  to  per- 
"  form,  and  the  end  must  be  to  glorify  God."  "  Nothing," 
says  the  same  writer,  "  can  be  more  manifest  than  that 
"  we  may  bind  ourselves  to  what  is  just  and  lawful,  to  neces- 
"  sary  duties  ;  and  that  though  a  promise,  oath,  or  vow, 
"  cannot  bind  to  sin,  yet  in  any  thing  not  sinful,  being  taken, 
*'  it  binds  to  performance."  But,  "  no  command  requiring, 
"  or  bond  engaging,  to  any  thing  sinful,  can  include  in  it 
"  any  real  or  valid  obligation  T  In  such  matters,  a  man's 
conscience  must  of  course  prescribe  the  line  of  duty. 

I  have  touched  upon  this  branch  of  the  subject,  as  con- 
nected with  its  consideration  ;  but  have  not  thought  it  ne- 
cessary to  go  further  and  deeper  into  the  discussion  of  the 
questions  of  moral  obligation  which  it  involves.     In  some 
new  treatise  on  moral  philosophy,  it  is  not  improbable  that 
the  nature  of  masonic  oaths,  and  the  validity  or  invalidity 
of  the  obligations  they  impose,  may  be  learnedly  and  logic- 
ally discussed,  by  some  unprejudiced  and  enlightened  wri- 
ter.    I  am  aware  that  a  strong  argument  may  be  made,  and 
sustained  by  the  opinions  of  the  highest  uninspired  authors, 
who  have  treated  of  the  duty  of  man;  from  Cicero  down  to 
Archdeacon  Paley,  to  prove  that  masonic  obligations  are 
not  only  imperfect,  but  actually  void.     And  I  am  not  pre- 
pared to  say,  that  the  same  conclusion  may  not  be  drawn 
more  directly  and  forcibly  from  the  literal  commands  and 
prohibitions  of  the  sacred  writings,  taken  as  the  sole  basis 
of  morals.     I  am  also  aware,  that  the  binding  force  of  an 
oath,  by  w^hich  the  juror  pledges  himself  not  to  do  a  parti- 
cular act,  has  been  discussed  in  our  legal  tribunals.     The 
states  of  New- York  and  Virginia  passed  laws,  requiring  all 
who  sought  admission  to  the  bar,  or  who  were  appointed  to 
any  civil  office,  to  take  and  subscribe  the  oath  against  duel- 
ling.    It  has  been  found  expedient  to  expunge  these  laws 
from  the  statute-books  of  both  states  ;  and  the  inference  is, 
that  even  such  an  obligation,  though  bearing  the  sanction  of 


182  LETTER  XVII. 

a  judicial  oath,  was  considered  as  doubtful,  imperfect,  or 
dangerous  in  its  nature.  But  such  an  abstract  investigation 
is  foreign  to  the  purpose  of  these  letters,  or,  at  least,  unes- 
sential to  it. 

However  base  and  perfidious  Morgan's  conduct  had  been 
towards  the  masonic  fraternity,  it  affords  not  the  slightest 
justification  for  their  outrages  upon  his  property,  or  his  rights 
of  life  and  liberty.  We  live  in  a  land  of  law,  as  well  as  of 
liberty :  and  to  the  laws  we  are  all  amenable  for  our  good 
conduct,  and  by  them  only  are  we  punishable  for  the  bad. 
Were  it  otherwise — were  private  associations  of  men,  or 
secret  societies,  formed  for  no  matter  what  purpose, — allow- 
ed to  incorporate  penal  laws  with  their  social  regulations, 
and  permitted  to  execute  them,  there  would  be  no  longer 
personal  safety  in  the  land  ;  and  the  secret  chambers  of  the 
lodge-room  would  become  as  terrible  as  the  ear  of  Diony- 
sius,  or  the  subterranean  vaults  of  the  sacred  vehme. 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly  your^. 


LETTER   XVII. 

New- York,  Feb.  12,  1832. 
Sir, 

Having  thus  failed  in  the  principal  design  of  defeating 
the  publication  of  the  disclosures,  the  conspirators,  and  their 
friends  next  attempted  to  divert,  or  allay,  for  a  term  at 
least,  the  tempest  of  popular  indignation  which  had  set  in 
with  so  much  violence.  For  this  purpose  an  intimation  was 
given  out,  and  very  rapidly  and  widely  circulated,  that  the 
disappearance  and  protracted  absence  of  Morgan,  was  noth- 
ing more  than  a  ruse  de  guerre,  to  create  and  sustain  an  ex- 
(iitemcnt,  amidst  the  noise  and  alarm  of  which  a  countless 
'number  of  worthless  books  might  be  sold  for  three  or  four 


LETTER  XVII.  15^ 

times  their  cost.     The  device  succeeded  to  an  extent  that 
could  hardly  have  been  anticipated  by  its  authors ;  and  such, 
for  a  long  time,  v^^as  the  prevailing  belief,  among  at  least 
nine-tenths  of  the  people  of  the  northern  states.  1  say  north- 
ern states,  because  I  have  been  seriously  informed,  w^ithin 
a  few^  months,  by  gentlemen  of  distinguished  consideration, 
from  the  southern  states,  that,  in  those  states,  they  do  not, 
many  of  them,  even  yet,  believe  in  the  reality  of  the  causes 
of  the  Anti-masonic  excitement ;  considering  the  whole  story 
of  the  abduction  and  subsequent  fate  of  Morgan,  to  be  a  fic- 
tion, invented  solely  to  subserve  local  political  objects.  The 
fact  is,  the  atrocity  of  the  deed  was  such,  that  men  were 
exceedingly  reluctant  to  believe  it  possible  that  it  could 
have  \)Qcn  committed,  in  the  manner,  and  for  the  paltry  pur- 
pose described,  and  by  persons  of  so  much  respectability. 
Beyond  the  immediate  region  of  the  excitement,  therefore, 
for  a  very  long  time,  but  little  heed  was  paid  to  the  clamor, 
the  murmurings  of  which  only  were  heard  at  so  great  a  dis- 
tance.    Masons, — I  speak  of  the  great  majority  who  were 
not  in  the  secret — and  those  who  w^ere  not  masons, — alike 
believed  it  impossible,  that  a  free  American  citizen  could 
thus  be  kidnapped,  in  open  day,  and  carried  with  unlawful 
violence,  against  his  own  consent,  for  hundreds  of  miles, 
through  a  thickly  settled  territory,  occupied,  too,  by  a  peo- 
ple distinguished  of  all  others  in  the  country  for  their  mo- 
rals and  their  intelligence.     That  a  man,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, and  among  such  a  people,  could  thus  be  drag- 
ged away  into  exile,  and  perhaps  murdered,  by  means   of 
a  conspiracy,  embracing,  as  it  was  alledged  to  have  done, 
hundreds  of  such  people,  was  too  improbable  a  tale  to  ob- 
tain ready  credence ;    and  it  w^as  not  believed,  for  many 
months  afterwards,  and  until  confirmations  strong  as  proofs 
from  holy  writ,  from  hundreds  of  conspiring  circumstances, 
and  the  lips  of  clouds  of  witnesses,  rendered  longer  disbe- 
lief impossible.     There  w^ere,  Likewise,  a  variety  of  other 


i 


184  LETTER  XVII. 

stories  afloat,  during  the  several  months  to  which  I  refer, 
all  tending  to  distract  the  public  mind.  Among  these  were 
rumors  that  the  absentee  had  been  taken  to  Niagara,  and 
had  passed  over  voluntarily  into  Canada,  vs^ith  an  intention 
of  joining  the  North  Western  Fur  Company, — he  himself 
desiring  as  much  to  remove  beyond  the  influence  of  Miller, 
as  the  Masons  wished  to  have  him  do  so.  Another  story  was, 
that  he  had  been  sent  to  Quebec,  to  enlist  on  board  a  ship  of 
war.  And  another,  and  yet  more  probable  tale,  arose  from 
the  circumstance  that  within  the  fortnight  after  Morgan  had 
been  taken  away,  a  sloop  was  wrecked  on  lake  Ontario,  of 
which  all  the  crew  and  passengers  perished.  It  w^as  sup- 
posed that  Morgan  must  have  been  one  of  these  passengers. 
Indeed  all  were  anxious  to  believe  any  thing,  rather  than 
the  horrible  accusations  against  so  large  a  number  of  men 
as  it  was  by  this  time  known  were  leagued  in  the  conspi- 
racy. 

None  of  these  tales,  however,  diverted  the  committees  in 
the  west,  from  the  eflicient  discharge  of  the  duties  devolving 
upon  them  by  the  nature  of  the  case.  At  the  October  term 
of  the  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace,  for  the  county  of  Gen- 
esee, bills  of  indictment  were  obtained  against  James  Gan- 
son,  Jesse  French,  Roswell  Wilcox,  and  James  Hurlburt, 
for  a  riot,  and  for  assaulting,  and  falsely  imprisoning  Col. 
Miller.  The  finding  of  these  indictments  was  the  first  legal 
proceeding  instituted  in  the  Morgan  business. 

From  tll^  7th  to  the  26th  of  October,  Governor  Clinton 
received  no  further  information  from  the  Batavia  Commit- 
tee. Understanding,  however,  from  the  public  papers,  that 
no  tidings  had  been  heard  of  Morgan,  and  fearing,  from  the 
tone  of  the  reports  from  the  west,  that  the  outrages  had 
been  of  a  much  more  serious  and  aggravated  character, 
than  he  had  at  first  supposed,  the  Gk)vernor  transmitted  to 
the  committee  at  Batavia,  his  second  proclamation,  accom- 
panied by  the  following  letter  :— - 


LETTER  XVII.  185 

"  Albany,  2Qth  October,  1826. 
"  Gentlemen, 

"  Understanding  that  William  Morgan  is  still  missing, 
I  have  thought  it  advisable  to  issue  the  enclosed  proclama- 
tion, offering  further  rev^^ards,  which  you  will  please  to  see 
published  in  the  newspapers  of  your,  and  the  neighboring 
counties,  and  in  handbills,  if  you  conceive  it  advisable.  The 
expenses  of  which  I  will  pay. 

"  I  will  thank  you  for  such  further  advice  as  in  your 
opinion  may  lead  to  a  full  developement  of  the  outrageous 
proceedings  that  have  occurred  in  your  vicinity. 
"  I  am,  gentlemen,  &c. 

"DE  WITT  CLINTON. 
"  T.  F.  Talbot,  Esq.,  and  others,  committee,  &c." 

By  this  second  proclamation,  various  rewards  were  of- 
fered for  the  apprehension  of  the  several  offenders  in  the 
outrages  complained  of,  and  a  specific  reward  for  the  dis- 
covery of  the  place  to  which  the  person  of  Morgan  had  been 
conveyed,  in  order,  to  quote  the  language  of  the  document 
itself,  "  that  the  offenders  may  be  brought  to  condign  pun- 
"  ishment,  and  the  violated  majesty  of  the  laws  thereby  ef- 
"  fectually  vindicated."  All  sherilfs,  magistrates,  and  other 
officers,  were  again  enjoined  to  activity  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duties  on  this  occasion.* 

It  was  early  in  November  before  this  proclamation  was 
issued  to  the  public  in  the  region  of  the  excitement.  In  the 
mean  time  no  little  fault  had  been  found  by  the  people  of 
the  west,  because  of  the  moderate  tone  of  the  first  procla- 
mation, and  the  absence  of  any  specific  reward.  Complaint 
was  likewise  made  of  the  second,  because  of  the  small 
amounts  of  the  several  rewards  proposed, — the  highest  be- 
ing only  three  hundred  dollars.  But  at  the  time  it  was  is- 
sued, from  the  causes  stated  in  the  first  part  of  this  letter, 
neither  Governor  Clinton,  nor  his  advisers  at  Albany,  could 

+  Videapper.dlxE. 

24 


186  LETTER  XVII. 

have  had  any  just  idea  of  the  enormity  of  the  offence,  or  ot* 
the  extent  of  the  excitement. 

During  the  months  of  November  and  December,  the  ex- 
citement continued  to  increase,  and  extend  its  sphere  of  ac- 
tion among  the  people.  At  the  November  term  of  the 
General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  for  the  county  of  Ontario,  in- 
dictments were  found  against  Nicholas  G.  Cheseboro,  Loton 
Lawson,  Edward  Sawyer,  and  John  Sheldon,  for  a  conspi- 
racy to  seize  William  Morgan,  and  carry  him  thence  to  for- 
eign parts,  and  to  secrete  and  confine  him  there.  A  second 
indictment  was  likewise  found  against  the  same  parties,  for 
carrying  the  conspiracy  into  execution.  These  indict- 
ments, by  consent  of  parties,  w^ere  sent  to  the  Court  of 
Oyer  and  Terminer,  to  be  held  at  Canandaigua,  in  January 
then  following.  Meantime  the  committees  were  engaged 
in  pushing  their  investigations  with  all  possible  perseve- 
rance and  assiduity.  In  the  course  of  their  inquiries,  they 
ascertained  some  further  particulars  respecting  the  myste- 
rious night-ride,  from  Canandaigua  to  Rochester,  or  Han- 
ford's  Landing,  in  no  wise  calculated  to  lessen  their  appre- 
hensions for  the  safety  of  Morgan.  The  carriage  driven  by 
Hiram  Hubbard,  as  formerly  related,  stopped  at  the  village 
of  Victor,  ten  miles  from  Canandaigua,  It  was  first  driven 
into  the  yard  of  the  tavern,  kept  by  Dr.  Thomas  Beach, 
and  from  thence  into  the  yard  of  one  Enos  Gillis,  in  the  rear 
of  the  barn  of  the  last-mentioned  personage,  and  about  for- 
ty rods  from  the  house  of  Beach,  entirely  out  of  sight  of  the 
road.  Among  the  company  in  some  way  connected  with 
this  mysteriously  moving  carriage,  which  was  not  allowed 
to  stop  where  it  could  be  seen  for  any  time,  was  a  man  by 
the  name  of  James  Gillis,  who  then  resided  at  Montmoren- 
cy, in  Pennsylvania  ;  and  it  is  supposed  that  his  presence 
among  the  conspirators  affords  a  solution  to  the  remark  of 
Ketchum,  to  Mrs.  Morgan,  at  Canandaigua,  that  a  man  from 
Pennsylvania  had  taken  her  husband  off  in  a  private  car- 


LETTER  XVII.  187 

riage,  having  a  warrant  for  him.     James  Gillis  now  took  a 
horse  from  his  brother's  stable,  and  proceeded  forward.     A 
hostler  was  likewise  sent  to  bring  out  a  horse  for  Lawson, 
whom  he  knew,  and  on  returning  to  the  tavern,  he  heard  Dr. 
Beach,  in  speaking  earnestly  of  some  one,  declare  :  "  Damn 
him,  he  ought  to  he  drawn  and  quarteredr     James  Gillis 
was  seen  the  next  day,  but  disappeared  immediately,  and 
was  not  found  again  for  many  months.  Enos  Gillis  was  ex- 
amined before  the  grand  jury  in  November,  but  soon  after- 
wards removed  away,  and  never  afterwards  showed  himself 
in  the  county,  or  country,  where  it  was  probable  he  might 
be  called  on  to  testify.     Hubbard's  carriage  was  closely 
curtained  on  his  way  to  Hanford's  ;  but  the  curtains  were 
rolled  up  after  he  had  discharged  his  company  in  the  road, 
near  the  forest.     The  agents  dispatched  by  the  committee, 
to  traverse  the  line  of  the  ridge  road,  ascertained  that  be- 
fore Hubbard's  carriage  arrived  at  Rochester,  which  was 
just  at  the  breaking  of  the  morning  light,  a  carriage  belong- 
ing to  Ezra  Piatt,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  the  keeper  of 
a  livery  stable,  in  that  town,  was  procured  and  sent  for- 
ward in  advance  of  the  Canandaigua  carriage,  and  directed 
to  stop  at  a  sequestered  place  near  Hanford's  tavern.     A 
variety   of  circumstances   not   essential  to   the  narrative, 
proved,  very  clearly,  that  the  carriage  which  started  thus 
early  out  of  Rochester,  was  intended  for  the  relief  of  that 
driven  from  Canandaigua  to  Hanford's.     Indeed,  when  cal- 
led before  the  grand  jury,  Hubbard  himself  swore  that  the 
party  which  left  his  carriage  in  the  "  secluded"  place,  got, 
into  that  which  had  been  sent  from  Rochester,  and  which, 
after  taking  up  his  passengers,  proceeded  thence,  on  the 
ridge  road,  towards  the  Niagara.     This  carriage  was  next 
particularly  noticed  at  Clarkson,  fifteen  miles  further  west, 
in  consequence  of  its  stopping  in  the  middle  of  the  road, 
while  the  driver  alighted  for  a  moment,  and  went  into  the 
tavern.     The  carriage  then  proceeded  on,  with  the  curtains 


188  LETTER  XVII. 

kept  close  down,  although  it  was  a  very  warm  day.  Two 
and  a  half  miles  further  on,  at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Allen,  the 
carriage  again  stopped,  and  the  horses  were  changed — the 
fresh  team  being  taken  from  the  field  where  they  were 
working,  for  that  purpose.  The  driver  from  near  Han- 
ford's  to  this  place,  soon  afterwards  absconded,  and  was  not 
heard  of  for  a  long  time  afterwards.  The  mysterious  car- 
riage, closed  carefully  as  before,  arrived  at  Gaines  at  about 
12  o'clock  at  noon,  on  the  13th  of  September — passed  di- 
rectly through  the  village,  and  stopped  about  a  mile  west 
of  it,  in  the  road,  at  a  distance  from  any  house.  At  this 
place  Eliiiu  Mather  came  up,  with  a  pair  of  horses  belonging 
to  his  brother,  James,  who  lived  at  Gaines.  These'  horses 
were  placed  before  the  closed  carriage,  and  Mather  him- 
self, although  a  man  of  property,  engaged  in  a  good  busi- 
ness, mounted  the  box,  and  drove  on,  to  the  surprise  of  the 
inhabitants  along  the  road,  who  knew  his  circumstances. 
On  his  return,  he  stated  that  he  had  driven  the  carriage  for 
his  brother.  When  the  close  carriage  arrived  at  Ridge- 
way,  a  man  named  Jeremiah  Brown,  supervisor  of  the 
town,  and  formerly  a  member  of  the  legislature,  suddenly 
took  his  horses  from  ploughing  in  the  field,  fed  them,  and 
placing  them  before  the  mysterious  carriage,  mounted  the 
box  himself  and  drove  on  to  Wright's  tavern,  nearly  north 
of  the  village  of  Lockport.  At  this  place  the  carriage  was 
driven  into  the  barn,  and  was  so  strongly  guarded,  as  to 
prevent  any  persons — and  there  were  many  collected  there 
— from  holding  the  least  communication  with,  or  even  from 
seeing  it.  There  was  to  be  an  installation  of  a  chapter  at 
Lewiston,  on  the  i4th,  the  day  following,  on  which  occa- 
sion a  clergyman,  of  Rochester, — yet  in  orders,  unfortunate- 
ly for  the  church,  though  in  another  state, — delivered  the 
address.  He  is  represented  to  have  given  a  most  extraor- 
dinary toast  at  the  dinner  of  the  celebration,  which  may  be 
noted  hereafter.     But  it   has  nothing  to  do  in  this  place. 


LETTER  XVII.  189 

This  clergyman,  however,  was  the  only  passenger  in  the 
stage  from  Rochester  for  Lewiston,  which  preceded  the 
carriage  whose  progress  I  am  tracing  ;  and  on  arriving  at 
the  town  of  llidgeway,  he  stopped  the  stage  long  enough  to 
send  into  the  field,  for  Brown  to  come  to  him  in  haste :  He 
did  so,  and  they  held  a  private  conference.    When  the  close 
carriage,  came  along,  Brown  very  readily  and  spontaneously, 
as  it  were,  took  his  horses  from  the  plough  in  the  field,  to 
relieve  those  in  the  harness  of  the  carriage,  as  I  have  just 
mentioned.     There  were  many  people  at  Wright's,  some 
of  whom  were  armed,  as  it  appeared,  and  it  was  told  the 
committee,  by  some  one  at  the  house,  that  they  had  had  or- 
ders to  prepare  a  supper  that  night,  for  a  number  of  Ma- 
sons.    The  care  with  which  the  carriage  was  secluded,  in- 
duced some  inquiries,  and  it  was  rumored  about  amongst  the 
people,  that  it  contained  a  prisoner  whom  it  was  necessary 
to  guard.     At  about  10  o'clock,  that  night,  this  carriage 
drove  away  from  Wright's,  towards  Lewiston,  and  when 
it  arrived  at  Mollineaux's  tavern,  four  miles  farther  on,  Eli 
Bruce,  the  sheriff  of  the  county  of  Erie,  in  which  they  then 
were,  was  with  it.     He  went  into  the  house,  woke  up  the 
landlord,  and  desired  him  to  put  a  fresh  pair  of  horses  be- 
fore the  carriage.     The  son  of  Mr.  Mollineaux  opposed  let- 
ting the  horses  go,  unless  he  went  with  them  himself,  as  he 
said  they  w^ere  young,  and  he  was  opposed  to  placing  them 
in  the  hands  of  strangers.     Bruce,  however,  would  not  list- 
en to  this,  but  pointing  to  Brown,  said  he  had  a  careful  driver. 
Mather  stopped  at  this  place,  and  Brown  drove   on — re- 
turning to  Mollineaux's  just  before  day  light  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  14th The  horses  were  very  much  exhausted,  hav- 
ing been  driven  twenty-six  miles,  as  he  admitted,  since  he 
had  taken  them.     The  next  trace  of  the  mysterious  car- 
riage discovered  by  the   committee,  w^as    the  information, 
that  during  that  night,  Bruce,  with  Samuel  Barton,  a  stage 
proprietor,  called  at  the  stage  oifiGe,  at  Lewiston,  for  a  car- 


190  LETTER  XVII. 

riage  and  horses  to  go  to  Youngstown.  A  driver,  named 
Corydon  Fox,  was  called  up,  who  harnessed  a  team  to  a 
carriage.  He  then  called  at  a  tavern,  as  directed,  for 
Bruce,  who  got  into  the  carriage,  and  directed  him  to  drive 
round  into  a  back  street,  in  front  of  Barton's  dwelling  house, 
which  he  acordingly  did.  Arriving  there,  he  found  a  car- 
riage, without  horses,  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  street, 
with  the  curtains  closed  down.  Bruce  here  descended 
from  the  carriage  ;  and  Fox,  who  kept  his  place  on  the  box, 
saw  a  third  man  assist  him  (Bruce)  in  taking  a  man  out  of 
the  other  carriage,  and  transferring  him  to  their  own.  Not 
a  word,  nor  a  whisper,  was  uttered  during  this  movement, 
and  the  same  gloomy  silence  remained  unbroken  until  they 
reached  Youngstown,  six  miles.  At  this  place  they  stop- 
ped in  front  of  the  house  of  Col.  King,  who  was  called  up 
by  Bruce.  While  the  latter  was  holding  a  conversation 
with  King,  the  driver  thought  he  heard  a  call  for  water 
from  within  his  carriage,  and  Bruce  replied — "  Yes,  you 
shall  have  some,"  but  none  was  brought.  King  now  came 
out,  and  entered  the  carriage  with  Bruce  ;  and  Fox  was 
dh'ected  to  drive  tov/ards  Fort  Niagara — about  a  mile  dis- 
tant. They  stopped  near  the  grave  yard,  about  eighty 
rods  from  the  fort,  towards  which  four  persons  who  de- 
scended from  the  carriage,  directed  their  steps.  Bruce 
shortly  turned  round,  and  calling  to  Fox,  dismissed  him,  by 
tellinnr  him  to  ero  about  his  business. 

vSuch,  in  substance,  was  the  purport  of  the  information 
collected  by  the  committee,  during  the  months  of  November 
and  December.  It  will  at  once  be  perceived  that  this  nar- 
rative,* taking  it  in  connexion  with  the  history  of  the  occur- 
rences at  the  Canandaigua  prison,  as  given  in  a  former  let- 
ter, reduced  it  to  a  moral  certainty,  that  Morgan  had  been 
thrust  into  thd  carriage,  at  Canandaigua,  and  kept  in  a  state 

*  Abriilgcd  from  the  report  of  the  Lewiston  committee. 


LETTER  XVII.  191 

of  duress,  until  Bruce  and  others  left  the  carriage  near  the 
burying  ground,  close  by  the  fort  at  Niagara,  in  the  gloom 
of  night.  This  moral  certainty,  as  it  respects  the  identity 
of  the  person  who  was  taken  from  the  carriage  driven  by 
Fox,  was  increased,  by  his  conversations,  on  the  morning 
of  the  14th  of  September,  with  a  Mason  by  the  name  of 
Paul  Mosher.  In  relating  his  night  jaunt  down  to  Youngs- 
town,  Fox  stated,  that  when  King  came  out  of  his  house,  on 
stepping  up  to  the  carriage,  he  thought  he  understood  him, 
[King,]  to  say,  "  what,  Morgan,  are  you  here  !"  Mosher  not 
knowing  what  to  make  of  the  aflair,  spoke  successively  to 
two  other  Masons,  who  both  expressed  a  belief  that  the 
person  alluded  to  was  Morgan.  And  one  of  them  com- 
mented on  the  imprudence  of  Barton,  in  having  sent  a  dri- 
ver who  was  not  a  Mason,  on  such  an  errand.  Fox,  who 
had  been  speaking  of  the  circumstances  about  the  village 
of  Lewiston,  was  admonished  to  keep  his  own  counsel,  at 
the  peril  of  losing  his  place ;  and  within  a  few  days  after- 
w^ards,  his  lips  were  sealed,  as  it  was  hoped,  by  having  the 
honors  of  masonry  conferred  upon  him,  free  from  the  custo- 
mary fees  and  charges.  Such  a  step  could  not  have  been 
taken,  without  a  dispensation  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the 
lodge.  But  with  all  this  chain  of  circumstantial  testimony, 
there  was  yet  no  satisfactory  legal  proof  of  the  facts,  which 
had  thus,  beyond  doubt,  transpired.  The  story,  however, 
was  told  to  the  public,  and  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  such 
an  excitement  as  had  already  been  kindled,  would  burn 
less  fiercely  with  these  additional  materials  for  combustiom 
The  connexion  of  Bruce  with  the  mysterious  carriage, 
having  been  thus  satisfactorily  established,  he  was  ar- 
rested on  the  29th  of  December,  and  brought  before  a  ma- 
gistrate at  Youngstown,  on  the  charge  of  having  forcibly, 
and  without  due  process  of  law%  held  William  Morgan  in 
duress  for  some  time,  and  having  secretly  and  illegally  con- 
veyed him  thence  to  parte  unknown.     Five  witnQssfgs  were 


192  LETTER  XVlI. 

examined  before  the  magistrate,  and  the  facts  ah'eady  con- 
nected  with  the  name  of  Bruce,  were  clearly  established. 
Bruce  made  neither  explanations  nor  defence  ;  but  as  no 
proof  was  adduced  on  the  examination,  that  a  William 
Morgan  had  been  forcibly  seized  and  carried  away  from 
Canandaigua  or  elsewhere,  nor  that  force,  violence  or  re- 
straint, had  been  exercised  upon  the  person  of  any  indivi- 
dual in  the  carriage,  he  was  discharged. 

On  the  assembling  of  a  gi'and  jury  for  Monroe  county, 
in  this  same  month  of  December,  the  presiding  judge  of  the 
court  strongly  charged  them  to  investigate  the  circumstan- 
ces of  the  outrage,  which  was  then  the  leading  theme  of  dis- 
course in  all  mouths.  They  called  many  witnesses  before 
them,  but  failed  in  eliciting  any  satisfactory  information,  al- 
though of  the  number  examined  was  Ezra  Piatt,  who  had 
furnished  the  carriage  from  Rochester.  Edward  Doyle,  one 
of  the  witnesses,  refused  to  testify,  lest  he  should  criminate 
himself.  The  jury  found  no  bills  ;  but  having  ascertained 
that  Morgan  had  been  taken  through  that  county,  they 
made  a  presentment,  stating  that  fact,  from  which  the 
following  passage  is  quoted  : — "  From  the  great  caution 
**  which  seems  to  have  been  observed,  in  keeping  both  Mor- 
"  gan,  and  the  place  of  his  destination,  from  the  view  and 
*'  knowledge  of  all  but  such  persons  as  may  have  been  con- 
"  fidentially  entrusted  with  the  design,  and  who  would  de- 
**  cline  giving  evidence,  upon  the  ground  that  it  might  tend 
"  to  criminate  themselves,  the  grand  jury  have  found  it  im- 
"  possible  to  establish,  by  competent  testimony,  the  unlaw- 
'*  ful  agency  of  any  citizen  in  this  county,  in  that  transac- 
«tion." 

Another  public  meeting  was  now  called  in  Rochester,  and 
committees  upon  the  subject  appointed.  This  meeting  was 
attended  by  Burrage  Smith,  and  John  Whitney.  A  num- 
ber of  masons  were  placed  on  the  committee.  But  it  was 
soon  ascertained,  by  the  other  members,  that  "  all  their  pro- 


LETTER  XVII.  193 

**■  ceedings  were  divulged  by  these  masonic  associates,  not- 
**  withstanding  an  honorary  obligation  to  the  contrary." 

The  sitting  of  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  for  the 
county  of  Ontario,  at  which  the  first  indictments  were  to  be 
traversed,  was  now  approaching  ;  and,  as  the  excitement 
was  very  great,  the  District  Attorney  of  that  county,  Bowen 
Whiting,  Esq.,  believing  that  if  the  persons  indicted  were 
tried  by  counsel  there,  the  public  excitement  would  not  be 
allayed,  let  the  result  be  what  it  might,  addressed  a  letter 
to  Governor  Clinton,  on  the  7th  of  December,  making  this 
representation,  and  requesting  the  attendance  and  assistance 
of  the  Attorney  General  at  the  trials.  This  letter  was  re- 
ceived by  the  Governor  on  the  1 1th,  and  a  copy  thereof  im- 
mediately, on  the  same  day,  transmitted  to  the  Attorney 
General,  as  appears  from  the  following  note  from  the  Gov- 
ernor himself: — 

^^  Albany f  llth  December,  1826. 
*'  Sir, 

"  I  enclose  to  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  District 
Attorney  of  Ontario  County,  by  which  it  appears  that  your 
attendance  at  the  Oyer  and  Terminer,  on  the  1st  Monday 
in  January  next,  in  that  county,  is  considered  highly  impor- 
tant. 

"  Concurring  with  the  Circuit  Judge,  and  the  District  At- 
torney in  that  opinion,  and  hoping  that  you  will  find  it  not 
inconvenient  to  attend  on  that  occasion,  I  consider  it  my  duty 
lo  request  it.  "  I  am,  &c. 

«  DE  WITT  CLINTON, 
^  Samuel  A.  Talcott,  Esq. 

*^  Attorney  General" 

The  Attorney  General  did  not  attend  the  trials,  but  for 
what  reasons  I  am  not  informed. 

I  havQ  the  honor..  &(?; 
S5 


194  LE-TTiTR  xyfir^ 


LETTER  XVUL 

,  New- York,  Feb.  14,  183i^. 
Sir, 

The  Circuit  Court,  and  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer^ 
for  the  county  of  Ontario,  commenced  its  sittings  on  Mon- 
day, January  1st,  1827.  The  present  governor  of  this  stated- 
then  a  circuit  judge,  presided,  associated  with  whom,  upoi> 
the  bench,  were,  tlie  Hon.  Nathaniel  W.  How^ell,  first  judge 
of  the  county,  and  judges  Younglove,  Atwater,  and  Brooks.^ 
The  first  of  that  series  of  extraordinary  trials  which  have 
occupied  so  wide  a  space  in  our  judicial  annals  during  the 
last  five  years,  was  now  commenced,  by  the  arraignment  of 
Cheseboro,  Lawson,  Sawyer,  and  Sheldon,  on  the  several 
indictments  heretofore  mentioned,  to  wliich  they  severally 
pleaded  not  guilty.  Great  interest  w^as  manifested  on  this 
occasion,  by  all  parties.'  Deputations  from  the  diflerent 
committees  organized  by  popular  meetings-,  were  in  attend- 
ance, and  more  than  one  hundred  witnesses,  who  had  been 
subpoenaed,  were  present,  together  with  an  immense  con- 
course of  people^  The  case,  in  all  its  features,  was  without 
a  precedent,  aad  a  deep' and  universal  anxiety  existed  among 
the  people,  to  have  the  dark  mystery  unriddled.  The  bar 
presented  a  formidable  array  of  counsel  on  the  important 
occasion,  embracing  most  of  the  professional  talent  in  that 
region  of  country.  The  prosecution  was  conducted  by 
Bowcn  Whiting,  the  District  Attorney,  assisted  by  seven 
other  counsellors,  viz  :  John  Dixon,  Wm.  H.  Adams,  J. 
Wilson,  T.  F.  Talbot,  H.  W.  Taylor,  O.  Benjamin,  and  C. 
Butler.  The  couiisel  for  the  defendants  were,  John  C. 
Spender,  M,  H.-  Sibley,  II.  F.  Pcniicld,  and  W.  HubbeU. 


LETTER  XVIIK  IDS 

On  Tuesday  morning,  the  second  day  of  the  term,  the 
pubhc  prosecutor  moved  on  the  trials.  The  first  witness 
called  was  David  C.  Miller,  but  to  the  surprise  of  every 
body,  it  was  found  that  he  was  absent.  Subpoenaed  by 
both  parties  ;  and  having,  borne  sucii  a  prominent  part  in 
the  transactions  which  had  so  deeply  agitated  the  commu- 
nity, and  being,  moreover,  €0  much  interested  in  having  .the 
guilty  punished,  his  absence  was  a  matter  of  astonishment 
It  having  been  satisfactorily  shown  to  the  court,  that  Miller 
was  at  home  in  Batavia,  and  in  good  health,  attachments 
were  granted  at  the  instance  of  toth  parties,  and  the  trials 
were  postponed,  to  allow  time  for  their  ircturn. 

On  Wednesday  morning  January  3d,  the  .motion  to  bring 
on  the  trials  was  renewed, — when  Ciieseboro,  Sawyer,  and 
Lawson,  severally  withdrew  their  pleas  of  not  guilty,  and 
pleaded  guilty  to  both  indictments  ; — reserving  the  right  to 
move  the  court  in  arrest  of  judgment  upon  cither.  The 
^counsel  for  Sheldon  then  stated  that  he  admitted  that  the 
offence  charged  in  the  indictment  against  Jiim,  had  been 
commatted,  but  denied  having  had  any  participation  there- 
in. Under  these  circumstances  the  case  went  to  trial ;  but 
4t  will  readily  be  perceived  that  the  admissions  of  the  de- 
fendants only  left  it  necessary  for:the  prosecution  to  identi- 
fy Sheldon  with  the  conspiracy.  Of  course  the  scope  of 
•the  inquiry  was  greatly  narrowed,  ^and  the  interest  propor- 
tionately lessened.  The  particulars  of  the  taking  of  Mor- 
gan from  the  prison,  and  the  active  participation  of  Lawson, 
:the  presence  of  Chescboro  and  Sawyer,  &c.,  was  proved 
accurately  as  I  have  related  the  facts  in  a  former  letter. 
The  wife  of  the  jailor  .testified,  that  according  to  the  best  of 
-her  knowledge  and  belief,  the  defendant  at  the  bar,  SheldoU:, 
vvvas  the  same  man  who  came  to  the  jail  with  Lawson,  calling 
Jiimself  Foster,  and  who  assisted  in  dragging  Morgan  away. 
A  number  of  witnesses  were  examined  to  prove  an  alibis 
and  the  testinoiony  was  vexy  strong  tliat  tlie  defendant  ha4 


196  LETTER  XVIII. 

been  sitting  at  Kingsley's  tavern  the  whole  evening  ;  that 
he  lodged  there  that  night ;  and  consequently  that  lie  could 
have  had  no  participation  in  the  transactions  at  the  jail. 
There  was,  however,   among  the  witnesses  on  the  part  of 
the  prosecution,  a  Mr.  Green,  an. inn-keeper,  from  Batavia, 
who  swore,  positively,  that  the  defendant  came  to  his  house 
late  in  the  evening  of  the  10th  of  September,  took  supper, 
and  lodging,  and  breakfasted  there  on  the  following  morn- 
ing.    He,  (the  defendant,)  entered  into  conversation  with 
the  witness  ;  said  that  he  had   been   suspected  of  having 
kindled  the  fire  in  Miller's  office,  and  desired  him,  (the  wit- 
ness) to  recollect  that  he  had  lodged  in  his  house  that  night. 
The  defendant  talked  a  good  deal  upon  the  subject  of  Mor- 
gan's proposed  revelations,  avowed  himself  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason,  and  said  he  had  been  in  that  neighborhood  several 
days,  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  book.     He  likewise   sent 
forKclsey  »Stone,  with  whom  he  held  some  private  conver- 
sation ;  and  while  there  wrote  a  letter  in  hieroglyphics,  which 
he  addressed  to  General  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer.     The 
witness,  a  respectable  man,  was  very  positive,  as  to  the 
identity  of  Sheldon,  and,  in  regard  to  all  the  circumstan- 
ces— particularly  of  the  letter,  which  he  saw  the  defendant 
sign  with  his  own  hand,  *  John  Shel  don.'     On  the  other  hand, 
Kelsey  Stone  w^as  introduced  as  a  witness  in  behalf  of  the 
defendant,  and  swore,  that  according  to  his  best  recollec- 
tion, he  was  not  the  man  whom  he  had  been  sent  to  meet  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  Green,  in  Batavia.     The  person  whom  he 
had  there  seen  was  a  stranger,  to  him  unknown  ;  but  he  was 
confident  Sheldon  was  not  the  man.     In  other  respects,  his 
testimony  fully  confirmed  that  of  Green.     It  was  proved, 
however,  by  the  Canandaigua  witnesses,  that  on  the  morn- 
ing after  Morgan  had  been  carried  away,  the  defendant  had 
appeared  to  know  much  about  the  subject.     To  a  Mr.  Pres- 
eott,  he  had  said,  "  Morgan  is  carried  olf :  I  know  all  about 
*♦  the  business,  but  shall  pot  tell  you.     I  know  who  went 


LETTER  xrin.  197 

*•  into  the  jail  after  Morgan — he  does  not  live  in  this  village — 
"  Morgan  has  gone  where  the  people  of  this  country  will  ne- 
*'  ver  see  him  ;  but  if  his  family  will  accept  the  funds  which 
"  the  Masons  have  provided  for  them,  they  will  be  well 
*'  enough  off,"  The  impression  of  the  jailor's  wife,  that  the 
defendant  and  the  man  Foster,  were  one  and  the  same  per- 
son ;  the  positive  testimony  of  Green ;  and  confessions  like 
that  which  I  have  just  quoted,  from  the  lips  of  the  defendant 
himself,  were  too  strong  against  him,  and  he  was  convicted. 
Sheldon,  afterwards,  made  a  deposition,  which  was  filed  of 
record,  and  in  which  he  swore  that  he  was  not  at  the  jail  at 
the  time  referred  to ;  that  he  had  not  been  at  Batavia  within 
eight  years ;  that  he  had  never  seen  the  w^itness.  Green, 
until  in  court  on  that  occasion  ;  that  he  had  never  visited 
the  jail  in  company  with  Loton  Lawson  ;  that  he  was  not 
the  man  whom  the  jailor's  wife  had  supposed  to  be  Foster ; 
and  that  he  had  never  seen  or  known  William  Morgan. 
His  admissions  upon  the  subject,  he  also  deposed,  "  were 
"  made  in  the  way  of  romance,  and  from  amusement  only." 
And  so  it  afterwards  appeared  ;  for  it  was  by  subsequent 
disclosures  clearly  proved,  that  Sheldon  was  in  truth  and  in 
fact  an  innocent  man,  although  the  witness.  Green,  was  ab- 
solved from  the  imputation  of  perjury,  from  the  fact  which 
afterwards  appeared,  that  the  mysterious  stranger  who  w^as 
at  Green's  house,  under  the  circumstances  mentioned,  was 
a  Mr.  Averill,  from  Orleans  county,  whose  dress  and  ap- 
pearance so  strongly  resembled  those  of  Sheldon,  as  to 
occasion  the  mistake. 

Among  the  witnesses  sworn  upon  this  trial,  were,  Dur- 
rage  Smith,  and  John  Whitney,  of  Rochester.  Both  of 
them  objected  to  answering  any  questions,  because,  in  do- 
ing so,  they  apprehended  that  they  might  criminate  them- 
selves. After  being  well  instructed  by  the  court,  however, 
as  to  their  privileges,  they  testified  in  part.  Smith  admitted 
that  he  came  to  Canandaigua  from  Rochester,  on  the  12th 


198  LETTER  Xtlll. 

of  September.  He  also  admitted  that  he  saw  Lawson,  but 
declined  answering  the  question  whether  he  had  heard  any 
conversation  between  Lawson  and  others  about  carrying 
Morgan  away.  His  objection  having  been  overruled  by 
the  court,  he  then  admitted  that  he  did  hear  Lawson  in  con- 
versation with  three  or  four  others,  upon  that  subject,  on 
the  side-walk,  near  the  jail.  He  left  Canandaigua  on  tlie 
evening  that  Morgan  was  taken  away,  between  G  and  8 
o'clock.  He  admitted  that  he  was  at  Lewiston,  attending 
the  installation  of  a  chapter,  two  or  three  days  afterwards. 
Being  asked  if  he  saw  Morgan  at  Fort  Niagara,  his  counsel 
objected  to  the  question,  and  the  court  set  it  aside,  as  being 
irrelevant.  Whitney  testified  to  the  fact  of  his  coming  to 
Canandaigua  on  the  said  12th  of  September,  in  company 
with  Smith  ;  but  declined  telling  at  what  time  he  departed  on 
his  return,  lest  he  should  criminate  himself  Corydon  Fox, 
tlie  stage  driver  from  Lewiston  to  Youngstown,  was  also  a 
witness  upon  this  trial.  He  testified  merely"  to  the  fact  of 
having  driven  a  carriage,  sometime  in  September,  with 
closed  curtains,  down  to  the  river.  Three  or  four  persons 
got  out  of  the  carriage,  but  he  did  not  know  tliat  either,  of 
them  was  Morgan,  or  that  any  person  in  the  carriage  was 
confined.  He  only  knew  one  of  the  persons  who  rode  with 
him  on  that  occasion,  and  that  one  was  neither  of  the  de- 
fendants, 

I  have  ali>5ady  stated  that  Slieldon  was  found  guilty  by 
the  jury.  They  were  absent  only  one  hour.  On  Friday 
evening,  .January  5th,  the  counsel  for  the  defendants  moved 
an  arrest  of  judgment  upon  one  of  the  indictments,  arguing 
lliat  the  defendants  could  not  be  convicted  both  for  a  con- 
spiracy to  do  an  unlawful  act,  and  also  for  the  doing  of  that 
act ;  and  they  called  upon  the  public  prosecutor  to  elect  the 
indictment  upon  which  he  would  take  judgment.  After 
;ir,o-ument  upon  both  sides,  the  court  decided  that  judgment 
should  not  be  pronounced  upon  both  indictments,  but  that 


LETTER  XVlIK  19^ 

in  each  case,  as  soon  as  it  should  have  been  pronounced 
upon,  a  nolle  prosscqui  should  be  entered  upon  the  other. 
On  the  following  morning,  January  6th,  the  defendants  ap- 
peared at  the  bar  for  judgment,  and  several  witnesses  were 
called,  and  examined  by  the  public  prosecutor,  in  aggrava- 
tion of  the  case.  Among  these  Mrs.  Morgan  was  examined, 
and  her  appearance  and  manner  made  a  favorable  impres- 
sion in  her  behalf.     But  no  additional  facts  were  elicited. 

Depositions  were  then  put  in  by  their  counsel,  to  be  heard- 
in  mitigation  of  their  offence,  by  three  of  the  defendants. 
Cheseboro  deposed  that  he  had  not  seen  Morgan  since  the 
night  of  the  11th  of  September,  when  he  was  taken  from 
the  magistrate's  office  by  the  officer  who  committed  him  to 
prison.  He  knew  it  was  intended  to  take  Morgan  away, 
but  supposed  that  he  had  consented  to  go  freely,  and  he 
w^as  not  aware  tliat  any  force  had  been  employed  against 
him.  Their  object  was  to  remove  him  from  beyond  the 
neighborhood  and  influence  of  Miller,  who  was,  as  they  be- 
lieved, inducing  him  to  publish  a  book,  disclosing  the  secrets 
of  Masonry,  which  they  thought  was  calculated  to  bring 
disgrace  upon  the  order.  He  declared  that  he  had  had  no 
hand  in  any  subsequent  transactions  in  respect  to  Morgan  ; 
that  he  had  been  informed  that  Morgan  had  been  carried 
into  the  county  of  Monroe — since  which  time  he  had  not 
heard  what  had  become  of  him,  and  knew  not  where  he 
was.  But  in  opposition  to  this,  it  was  testified  by  Israel  B. 
Hall,  called  by  the  prosecution,  that  on  the  morning  after 
Morgan  was  taken  away,  he  called  on  Cheseboro  to  explaiit 
the  transaction.  The  latter  replied  that  Morgan  was  where 
Miller  would  not  get  hold  of  him-^he  guessed  he  might  be 
on  boax  I  of  a  ship  ;  but  avoided  giving  direct  answers. 

Sawyer  deposed  that  he  had  never  seen  Morgan  until  the 
same  evening  of  the  1 1th  September,  in  the  justice's  office, — 
that  he  had  heard  nothmg  previously  of  any  designs  against 


200 


LETTER  XViri. 


Iiirn, — that  he  was  not  aware  of  any  intention  of  taking  him 
from  the  jail,  on  the  evening  of  the  12th,  until  Lawson  met 
him  during  the  evening  in  the  street,  and  asked  him  to  go 
to  the  jail  to  persuade  the  jailor's  wife  to  release  Morgan,  on 
his  paying  the  amount  of  the  execution.  He  thought  dur- 
ing  the  w^hole  time,  that  it  was  all  a  matter  of  willingness 
and  consent  on  the  part  of  Morgan,  to  go  away,  until  after 
he  came  out  into  the  street,  when  he  expressed  his  reluc- 
tance, and  the  struggle  ensued,  at  which  the  deponent  was 
surprised.  He  did  not  know  how  much  resistance  Morgan 
made,  or  how  much  force  was  applied  to  compel  him  to  go 
along.  He  was  prevented  from  interfering  by  the  surprise 
into  which  he  was  thrown,  but  deeply  regretted  that  he  had 
not  interfered.  This  omission  was  the  only  criminal  part 
of  his  agency  in  the  matter,  with  which  he  could  reproach 
himself.  He  followed  after  Morgan,  at  the  distance  of  somo 
rods,  and  saw  him  taken  into  the  carriage.  He  concurred 
with  Cheseboro  as  to  the  motive  of  his  removal,  and  declar- 
ed that  he  had  never  seen  Morgan  since  he  entered  the  car- 
riage, and  knew  not  what  had  become  of  him. 

In  addition  to  these  depositions,  a  number  of  the  most  res- 
pectable citizens  of  Canandaigua  were  examined  as  to  the 
general  habits  and  character  of  the  defendants,  and  these 
testimonials  were  in  all  respects  strongly  in  their  favor. 

In  behalf  of  Sheldon,  the  deposition  which  I  have  already 
noted  above,  was  put  in  and  read-  Cheseboro,  Sawyer, 
and  Lawson,  all  deposed  that  Sheldon,  so  far  as  they  were 
acquainted  with  tlie  transactions  in  question,  w^as  entirely 
innocent.  But  the  jury  had  not  so  found  him,  and  he  was 
sentenced  with  the  others.  In  the  address  with  which  Judge 
Throop  prefaced  his  sentence,  he  was,  I  think,  particularly 
forcible,  and  his  remarks  were  so  just,  and  so  well  expres- 
sed, that  a  few  passages  may,  very  properly,  be  transcribed 
from  it: — 


LETTER  XVIII.  201 

**You  have  been  convicted,"  said  the  judge,  ''of  a  daring,  wicked  and  pre- 
sumptuous crime — such  an  one  as  we  did  hope  would  not  in  our  day  iiave 
polluted  this  land.     You  have  robbed  the  state  of  a  citizen,  a  citizen  of  his 
liberty,  a  wife  of  a  husband,  and  a  family  of  helpless  children  of  the  endear- 
ments and  protecting  care  of  a  parent.     And  whether  the  unfortunate  vic- 
tim of  your  rage  has  been  immolated,  or  is  in  the  land  of  the  living,  we  are 
ignorant,  and  even  you  do  not  pretend  to  know.     It  is  admitted  in  this  case, 
and  stands  proved,  that  Morgan  was,  by  a  hypocritical  pretence  of  friend- 
ship and  charity,  and  that,  too,  in  the  imposing  shape  of  pecuniary  relief  to  a 
distressed  and  poverty  bound  prisoner,  beguiled  to  entrust  himself  to  one  of 
your  number,  who  seized  him,  as   soon  as  a  confederate  arrived  to  his  aid, 
almost  at  his  prison  door,  and  in  the  night  time  hurried  him  into  a  carriage, 
and  forcibly  transported  him  out  of  the  state.     But,  great  as  are  the  individ- 
ual wrongs  which  you  have  inflicted  on  these  helpless  and  wretched  human 
beings,  they  are  not  the  heaviest  part  of  your  crime.     You  have   disturbed 
the  public  peace — you  have  dared  to  raise  your  panracidal  arms  against  the 
laws  and  constitution   of  your  government — you   have  assumed  a  power 
which  is  incompatible  with  a  due  subordination  to  the  laws  and  pubhc  au- 
thority of  your  state.     He  was  a  citizen  under  the  protection  of  our  lavi's ; 
you  wei*e  citizens  and  owed  obedience  to  them.   What  hardihood  and  wick- 
edness then  prompted  you  to  steel  your  hearts  against  the  claims  of  humani- 
ty, and  to  dare  set  at  defiance  those  laws  to  which  you  Owed  submission,  and 
which  cannot  suffer  a  citizen's  liberty  to  be  restrained  with  impunity,  with- 
out violating  its  duties  of  protection,  assured  to  every  individual  under  the 
social  compact.      +♦***      +***      +*      *     +     *     +     4: 
Our  laws  will  resent  such  attacks  as  you  have  made  upon  their  sovereignty. 
Your  conduct  has  created,  in  the   people  of  this  section  of  the  country,  a 
strong  feeling  of  virtuous  indignation.     The  court  rejoices  to  witness  it — to 
be  made  sure  that  a  citizen's  person  cannot  be  invaded  by  lawless  violence, 
without  its  being  felt  by  every  individual  in  the  community.     It  is  a  blessed 
spirit,  and  we  do  hope  that  it  will  not  subside — that  it  will  be  accompanied 
by  a  ceaseless  vigilance,  and  untiring  activity,  until  every  actor  in  this  profli- 
gate conspiracy  is  hunted  from  his  hiding  place,  and  brought  before  the  tr> 
l)unals  of  the  country,  to  receive  the  punishment  merited  by  his  crime.    We 
think  that  we  see  in  this  public  sensation  the  spirit  which  brought  us  into 
existence  as  a  nation,  and  a  pledge  that  our  rights  and  liberties  are  destined 
to  endure.     But  this  in  not  all;  your  ofl'ence  was  not  the  result  of  passion 
suddenly  excited,  nor  the  deed  of  one  individual.  It  was  preconcerted,  delib- 
erated upon,  and  carried  into  effect,  by  the  dictates  of  the  secret  councils 
and  conclave  of  many  actors.     It  takes  its  deepest  hues  of  guilt  from  a  con- 
spiracy— a  crime  most  dreaded  from  the  depravity  of  heart   it  evinces,  the 
power  for  unlawful  purposes  which  it  combines,  and  from  its  ability  to  defy 
the  power  of  the  law,  and  its  ultimate  danger  to  the  public  peace.  Hence  it  is, 
that  the  crime  is  considered  full,  when  the  wicked  purpose  is  proved  to  have 
been  formed ;  and  the  subsequent  carrying  into  effect  the  object  of  the  con^ 
apiracy,  does  not;  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  elevate  the  degree  of  the  crime." 

2Q 


202  LETTER  XIX. 

In  conclusion,  the  court  intimated  its  regret  that  the  laW 
had  only  made  the  offence  of  which  the  defendants  were 
guilty,  a  misdemeanor,  instead  of  a  felony.  The  omission, 
it  was  supposed,  had  arisen  from  the  great  improbability 
that  such  a  crime  could  ever  be  committed  in  this  country  ; 
but  the  court  thought  it  could  not  discharge  its  duty,  with- 
out depriving  the  defendants  of  a  portion  of  that  liberty, 
which,  in  the  plenitude  of  lawless  force,  they  had  taken 
from  Morgan.  I.awson  was  then  sentenced  to  two  years 
imprisonment,  in  the  county  jail  ;  Cheseboro,  to  imprison- 
ment for  one  year,  in  the  same  place  ;  Sheldon  to  an  impri- 
sonment of  three  months  ;  and  Sawyer  to  one. 

On  the  day  before  the  adjournment,  Miller  was  brought 
up  before  the  court  under  the  attachments  that  had  been 
issued  on  Tuesday,  to  answer  for  his  contempt.  It  appear- 
ed by  his  answers,  on  oath,  to  the  interrogatories  put,  that 
although  the  subpoenas  had  been  served,  directing  his  at- 
tendance on  Monday,  yet,  that  he  did  not  leave  his  home 
until  Wednesday  ;  and  that  after  travelling  to  Avon,  he 
digressed  from  the  road  into  another  town,  upon  private 
business.  He  further  stated  that  no  fees  had  been  tendered 
to  him  at  the  time  of  the  service  of  the  subpoenas,  and  that 
he  had  not  any  money  himself  to  bear  his  expenses.  Under 
these  latter  circumstances,  he  was  discharged  by  the  court. 
Thus  much  for  the  first  of  the  "  Morgan  trials." 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER    XIX. 

New- York,  Feb.  15,  1832. 
Sir, 

On  the  22d  of  November,  Governor  Clinton  had  received 
a  long  letter  from  Mr.  Talbot,  of  the  Batavia  committee,  ex- 
pressing the  satisfaction  of  the  committee  at  the  course  that 


LETTER  XIX.  203 

had  been  pursued  by  him.     "  If,"  says  this  letter,  "  we  have 
"  not  sooner  addressed  you  on  this  subject,  it  has  not  been 
"  for  want  of  a  desire  to  assure  you  of  our  regard  and  re- 
"  spect  for  you  as  our  chief  magistrate.     I  had  no  hesitation 
"  in  assuring  my  friends  here,  that  a  violation  of  the  laws 
"  would  in  every  case  meet  with  your  strong  and  marked 
"  censure,  and  that  all  would  be  done  by  you  that  we  had  a 
"  right  to  expect.     I  well  remember  the  course  you  pursu- 
*'  ed  when  mayor  of  New- York,  and  I  felt  then,  as  I  do  now, 
"  perfectly  confident  that  neither  your  personal  influence, 
"  nor  your  official  authority,  could  be  brought  to  the  aid  of 
"  any  improper  plan,  whatever  was  the  object  of  those  con- 
"  cerned."     Regretting  that  he  was  not  able  to  furnish  any 
accurate  information  as  to  the  fate  of  Morgan,  Mr.  Talbot, 
the  writer,  then  proceeds  to  detail  to  the  Governor,  an  ac- 
count of  the  mission  of  the  persons  who  had  been  sent  to 
make  inquiries   along  the  ridge  road,  together  with  their 
discoveries,  tracing  Morgan,  as  they  supposed,  into  Cana- 
da, or  to  fort  Niagara.     Repeating  the  stories  that  had  been 
circulated  in  Canada,  that  Morgan  had  been  murdered  by 
having  his  throat  cut,  by  two  ruffians  in  disguise,  (his  body 
having  then  been  sunk  in  the  river,)  the  writer  yet  expresses 
his  doubts,  from  the  number  and  respectability  of  the  persons 
concerned  in  the  abduction,  as  to  the   fact  of  the  murder. 
Some  circumstances  are  then  stated  which  induced  the  wri- 
ter to  believe  that  Morgan  was  confined  somewhere  in  the 
Canadas.     A  man  had  been  seen,  by  accident,  who  was 
<;hained,  and  who  cried  for  food,  which  was  refused,  while 
he  was  plied  with  di'ink,  &c.     Another   report  was,  that 
Morgan  was  confined  at  Quebec,  on  a  charge  of  treasona- 
ble practices,  &c.     After  speaking  of  several  legal  steps 
that  had  been  taken,  and  referring  to  the  conduct  of  the 
sheriflfs  of  Genesee  and  Niagara,  the  letter  proceeds — "  We 
"  shall  very  soon  make  further   attempts  to  elucidate  this 
^'  dark  and  singular  transaction.     The  election  for  a  few 


204  LETTER  XIX. 

"  days  diverted  attention  from  it,  but  the  public  excitement 
"  rather  increases  than  abates."  "  Perhaps  I  have  written 
"  more  than  is  proper,  or  agreeable  to  you.  I  vs^ill,  for  my- 
"  self,  assure  you  that  the  second  proclamation  gave  great 
"  satisfaction,  and  served  at  once  to  enable  your  friends  to 
"  put  down  every  idle  suggestion  relating  to  your  views  of 
"  the  transaction." 

To  this  letter,  of  which  I  have  presented  as  ample  an 
abridgement  as  the  case  requires,  the  subjoined  answer  was 
returned  by  Governor  Clinton  : — 

''Albany^  Sth  January ^  1827. 
"  Sir, 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  of  November,  in  behalf 
of  the  Batavia  committee,  appointed  in  the  case  of  Morgan, 
and  I  deeply  regret  the  whole  transaction,  as  well  as  the 
failure  of  the  attempts  to  restore  him  to  his  family.  I  am 
not,  however,  without  hopes  of  ultimate  success.  If  in  a 
state  of  duress,  he  is  probably  detained  in  one  of  the  Cana- 
das,  under  false  pretexts.  I  have  written  to  the  Governor 
of  Lower  Canada,  at  Quebec,  and  of  Upper  Canada,  at 
York,  stating  his  abduction,  and  requesting  their  humane 
interpositions  in  his  behalf,  if  confined  in  any  of  the  forts  or 
prisons  under  their  government,  and  I  strongly  anticipate 
favorable  results.  Tiiere  are  a  number  of  circumstances 
which  induce  me  to  concur  with  you  in  the  opinion  you 
express,  against  his  being  murdered.  I  do  not  think  that 
the  men  engaged  in  the  conspiracy,  if  as  respectable  as  you 
intimate,  wouJd  stain  their  hands  with  blood  ;  and  if  bent 
on  such  a  horrid  crime,  we  can  hardly  suppose  that  they 
Avould  carry  Morgan  to  such  a  distance,  and  expose  them- 
selves so  .unnecessarily  to  detection.  But,  when  the  demon 
of  fanaticism  is  at  work,  there  is  no  knowing  to  what 
extent  of  miscliicf  and  turpitude  he  may  lead  his  disci- 
ples. 


LETTER  XIX.  205 

^*  I  am  persuaded,  however,  that  the  body  of  Freemasons, 
so  far  from  having  any  participation  in  this  affair,  or  giving 
any  countenance  to  it,  reprobate  it  as  a  most  unjustifiable 
^ct,  repugnant  to  the  principles,  and  abhorrent  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  fraternity.  I  knovv^  that  Freemasonry,  pro- 
perly understood,  and  faithfully  attended  to,  is  friendly  to 
religion,  morality,  liberty,  and  good  government ;  and  I 
shall  never  shrink,  under  any  state  of  excitement,  or  any 
extent  of  misrepresentation,  from  bearing  testimony  in  favor 
of  the  purity  of  an  institution,  which  can  boast  of  a  Wash- 
ington, a  Franklin,  and  a  Lafayette,  as  distinguished  mem- 
bers, and  which  inculcates  no  principles,  and  authorises  no 
acts,  that  are  not  in  perfect  accordance  with  good  morals, 
civil  liberty,  and  entire  obedience  to  government  and  the 
laws.  It  is  no  more  responsible  for  the  acts  of  unworthy 
members,  than  any  other  association,  or  institution.  With- 
out intending,  in  the  remotest  degree,  a  comparison,  or  im- 
proper allusion,  I  might  ask  whether  we  ought  to  revile  our 
holy  religion,  because  Peter  denied,  and  Judas  betrayed  ? 

"  It  appears  that  the  abduction  of  Morgan  from  Canan- 
daigua,  took  place  on  the  12th  of  September,  and  that  the 
Batavia  meeting  was  held  on  the  25th.  The  affidavits  pub- 
lished by  the  committee  of  that  meeting,  sufficiently  indica- 
ted the  perpetration  of  the  outrage  ;  and  it  is  to  be  regret- 
ted that  a  judicial  accusation  did  not  immediately  take 
place,  as  it  might,  at  that  early  period,  have  led  to  the  dis- 
covery of  Morgan.  On  the  6th  of  October,  I  received  your 
communication,  and  on  the  next  day  issued  the  first  procla- 
mation. I  took  it  for  granted  that  the  offenders  would  be 
apprehended,  and  that  Morgan  would  be  discovered  and 
restored.  But  seeing,  accidentally,  in  a  Batavia  newspa- 
per, that  these  expectations  were  not  realized,  I  issued,  oij 
the  26th  of  October,  another  proclamation,  offering  speci- 
ilc  rewards.     I  regret  that,  after  the  first  communication,  I 


20G  LETTER  XIX. 

did  not  hear  from  you  until  the  22d  of  November.  In  say- 
ing this,  I  do  not  intend  the  least  blame, — the  confusion  and 
derangement  which  must  necessarily  have  grown  out  of 
such  an  unprecedented  and  abominable  transaction,  must 
present  a  sufficient  apology  for  any  omission  on  the  part  of 
those  who  have  been  meritoriously  engaged  in  detecting 
and  punishing  an  outrage  which  would  scarcely  be  believed 
were  it  not  so  well  authenticated. 

"  I  observe  some  imputations  in  your  letter  on  the  con- 
duct of  the  sheriffs  of  Genesee  and  Niagara.  If  any  accu- 
sations, supported  by  testimony,  are  presented,  I  shall  take 
due  notice  of  them. 

"  I  pray  you  to  accept  for  yourself,  and  to  present  to  the 
other  members  of  the  committee,  my  acknowledgments  of 
the  laudable  performance  of  your  and  their  duties,  as  good 
and  fjiithful  citizens,  in  a  case  so  greatly  to  be  deprecated, 
and  wiiich  certainly  demanded  the  energetic  interposition 
of  the  friends  of  liberty  and  good  government. 
"  I  am,  (fee. 

"  DE  WITT  CLINTON. 

"  Theodore  F.  Talbot,  Esq.,  Batavia." 

I  trust,  sir,  that  in  the  perusal  of  the  preceding  letter, 
you  will  bear  in  mind  that  neither  the  distinguished  writer, 
nor  other  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  at  a  distance, 
was  then  aware  of  the  extent  to  which  the  Masons  of  the 
west  were  inculpated,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  trans- 
actions in  question.  Nor  Jiad  the  controlling  bodies  of 
the  order  been  convened,  or  taken  any  part  in  the  premi- 
ses, at  that  early  period  of  the  transaction.  But  these  mat- 
ters will  be  subjects  of  after  consideration.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  copy  of  the  letter  addressed  by  Governor  Clinton 
to  the  Governors  of  the  two  Canadas,  as  mentioned  in  the 
|>receding  communication. 


LETTER  XIX.  207 

"  Albany,  Gth  January,  1827. 
"  Sir, 

"  A  person  of  the  name  of  William  Morgan,  otherwise 
called  Captain,  or  Major  Morgan,  resided,  for  some  time, 
with  his  family,  in  Batavia,  in  this  state.  He  is  said  to  have 
been  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  to  have  carried  on,  at  one 
time,  the  business  of  a  brewer,  at  York,  in  Upper  Canada. 
He  is  described  as  about  five  feet  eight  inches  high — well 
built — light  complexion,  and  between  forty- five  and  fifty 
years  of  age  During  the  last  year  he  put  a  manuscript  in- 
to the  hands  of  a  printer  in  Batavia,  purporting  to  be  a 
promulgation  of  the  secrets  of  Freemasonry.  This  was 
passed  over  by  the  great  body  of  that  fraternity,  without 
notice,  and  with  silent  contempt ;  but  a  few  desperate  fana- 
tics engaged  in  a  plan  of  carrying  him  off,  and,  on  the  12th 
of  September  last,  they  took  him  from  Canandaigua  by  force, 
as  it  is  understood,  and  conveyed  him  to  the  Niagara  river, 
from  whence  it  is  supposed  that  he  was  taken  to  his  Britannic 
Majesty's  dominions.  Some  of  the  offenders  have  been  ap- 
prehended and  punished,  but  no  intelligence  has  been  obtain- 
ed respecting  Morgan,  since  his  abduction.  I  have,  there- 
fore, to  appeal  to  your  justice  and  humanity  on  this  occa- 
sion, and  to  request  your  excellency  to  cause  inquiry  to  be 
made  respecting  him,  and,  if  he  is  forcibly  detained,  to  direct 
his  liberation,  and  to  communicate  to  me  the  results.  It  is 
conjectured  that  he  is  confined  in  some  fort  or  prison,  under 
false  pretences. 

"  I  am  persuaded  that  no  apology  is  necessary  for  this 
intrusion  on  your  time  and  attention  ;  and,  permit  me  to 
assure  you,  that  I  shall  always  be  happy  to  reciprocate  ycur 
humane  interposition,  and  to  evince  the  high  respect  with 
wliich 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  (fee. 

"  DE  WITT  CLINTON. 
"  The  Earl  of  Dalhousie,  Quebec." 


208  LETTER  XIX. 

A  duplicate  of  the  same  letter  was,  at  the  same  time,  ad- 
dressed to  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  the  Lieutenant  Governor 
of  Upper  Canada.  Answers  from  both  these  functionaries 
were  received  in  due  season,  which,  as  the  originals  are 
before  me,  I  v/ill  transcribe  for  your  perusal : — 

*'  Castle  of  St.  Lewis, 

"  Quebec y  25th  January,  1827. 
f*  Sir, 

"  I  have  had  the  honor  of  receiving  your  excellency's 
of  6th  January,  instant,  making  inquiry  for  a  person  of  the 
name  of  Morgan. 

"  It  will  give  me  much  pleasure  to  comply  with  your 
wishes  on  this  subject,  and  no  time  shall  be  lost  in  sending 
you  whatever  information  I  can  obtain.  At  present  I  can 
only  say,  that  nothing  has  been  heard  of  him  in  this  province 
of  Lower  Canada  ;  and  I  may  add  that  I  am  very  certain 
he  cannot  be  detained  in  any  clandestine  manner  in  the  Up- 
per Province.  The  information,  however,  which  I  have 
required  of  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  shall  be  transmitted, 
so  soon  as  I  receive  it. 

"  It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  sieze  this  opportunity  to 
express  to  j^our  excellency  the  high  respect  and  esteem  with 
which 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  bo 

"  Your  excellency's  most  obedient, 

*•  Humble  servant^ 

"  DALHOUSIE. 
"  His  excellency 

**  De  Witt  Clinton,  Esq.  &c.  .&c.  &c." 

The  annexed  letter  is  the  reply  of  the  Governor  of  the 
I^pper  Province : — 


LETTER  XIX.  209>' 

"  Upper  Canada, 

"  York,  5th  February,  1827. 
^'  Sir, 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  aclvnowiedge  the  receipt  of  your 
excellency's  communication  of  the  —  ultimo,  and  to  ac- 
quaint you,  that,  to  meet  your  desire,  I  have  directed  a  no- 
tice to  be  inserted  in  the  Government  Gazette,  oftering  a 
reward  of  £50,  for  any  satisfactory  information  that  shall 
be  given  respecting  William  Morgan.  Should  any  thing  in 
consequence  be  learned,  regarding  him,  I  shall  not  fail  to 
-  communicate  it  to  your  excellency. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

"  Your  excellency's  most  obedient, 

"  Humble  servant, 
"  P.  MAITLAND,  Lieut.  Governor. 
^*  His  excellency, 

"  De  Witt  Clinton,  Governor  of  Nev^^-York." 

In  order,  at  once,  to  complete  this  correspondence,  it  will 
be  necessary  for  me  to  anticipate  the  progress  of  my  narra- 
tive, by  transcribing  for  your  perusal,  in  this  place,  the  sub- 
joined communication  from  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie : — 

"  Castle  of  St.  Lewis, 

"  Quebec,  31s^  Marchy  1827. 
*'  Sir, 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  your  excellency  that  hav- 
ing called  upon  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Upper  Canada, 
to  communicate  to  me  any  information  he  could  obtain,  re- 
specting William  Morgan,  the  person  mentioned  in  your 
letter  of  the  6th  January  last,  the  Lieutenant  Governor  has 
stated  to  me  that  no  such  information  has  been  received 
from  him,  although  he  had  caused  a  reward  to  be  offered, 
on  the  part  of  the  government,  for  any  authentic  intelli- 
gence respecting  that  individual.     He  further  i-nforms.mo 

27 


210  LETTER  XIX. 

that  the  report  of  Morgan's  having  been  heard  of  in  thai 
province,  had  been  pubhcly  and  positively  contradicted,  by 
those  persons  who  were  accused  of  having  a  knowledge  of 
that  circumstance. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

"  Your  excellency's  most  obedient, 

*'  Humble  servant, 

"  DALHOUSIE. 
"  His  excellency, 

"  De  Witt  Clinton,  Esq.,  &c.  &:c.  &c." 

Neither  the  Earl  of  Dalhousie,  nor  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land,  however,  could  well  have  been  ignorant,  that  several 
Canadian  citizens  w^ere,  beyond  a  doubt,  very  seriously  in- 
volved in  the  conspiracy.  An  atternpt  to  procure  an  inves- 
tigation on  the  Canadian  side  of  the  frontier,  had  been  made 
early  in  January.  It  having  been  satisfactorily  ascertained 
that  Morgan  had  been  taken  into  Canada,  a  member  of  the^ 
Niagara  Committee  crossed  the  river  to  Niagara,  (com- 
monly called  Newark,)  while  a  grand  jury  w^as  in  session. 
"  He  went  before  the  grand  jury,  and  proposed  to  furnish 
"  them  with  the  names  of  witnesses  residing  in  Canada,  if 
"  the  grand  jury  would  agree  to  investigate  the  matter. 
"  After  consulting  together,  they  resolved  to  do  so ;  and  they 
"  were  accordingly  furnished  with  the  names  of  several  Ma- 
"  sons  residing  in  the  town  of  Niagara,  which  is  more  com- 
"  monly  called  Newark,  who  were  believed  to  be  impor- 
"tant  witnesses.  The  jury  adjourned  soon  after.  The 
*^  next  day  the  complainant  was  informed  that  after  the  ad- 
"  journment  of  the  jury,  the  witnesses  who  had  been  desig- 
«  nated,  had  been  conversed  with ;  that  after  the  assembling 
«  of  the  jury  in  the  morning,  they  had  consuhed  the  district 
"judge,  and,  thereupon,  had  resolved  to  do  no  more  in  the 
«  premises.  The  complainant  ascertaijied  that  the  districf 
**  judge  was  a  Freemason,  and  that  the  foreman  and  a  por- 


LETTER  XX.  211 

**  tion  of  the  jury  were  also  Masons."  This  relation  was 
derived  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Spencer  from  the  gentleman  who 
was  the  complainant. 

Ver}^  respectfully,  &c. 


LETTER    XX. 

New- York,  Feb.  17,  1832. 

The  result  of  the  trial  narrated  in  my  last  letter  but 
one,  gave  no  satisfaction  to  any  body.  Not  a  leaf  of  the 
mystery  was  unfolded ;  not  a  particle  of  doubt,  upon  any 
essential  point,  removed.  The  three  most  prominent  of  the 
parties  indicted,  had  precluded  any  investigation  of  facts, 
by  pleading  guilty  to  an  offence  that  could  not  be  punished 
as  a  felony ;  while  the  fourth  had  only  been  convicted  in 
consequence  of  his  own  vain-glorious  boastings  over  his 
cups,  being  at  the  same  time,  as  it  was  very  soon  made  to 
appear,  entirely  innocent.  The  apparent  indifference  of 
Miller,  moreover,  in  neglecting  to  come  forward  promptly, 
in  a  case  with  which  he  was  personally  so  intimately  con- 
nected, and  his  dilatoriness  by  the  way,  after  he  had  start- 
ed,— for  it  was  manifest  that  in  such  a  case  he  could  have 
encountered  but  little  difficulty  in  procuring  money  for  only 
a  fifty  miles  journey, — all  these  circumstances  together,  con- 
spired to  create  a  momentary  pause  in  the  public  mind  ;  and 
oven  to  inspire  a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  people  at  a  dis- 
tance, whether,  after  all,  a  mock-tragedy  might  not  pos- 
sibly have  been  enacted  at  the  west,  the  denouement  of  which 
even  Col.  Miller,  one  of  the  abducted,  was  not  very  anx- 
ious to  disclose.  Such,  I  must  have  the  candour  to  admit, 
was,  for  the  moment,  my  own  impression,  as  recorded  edi- 
torially in  the  same  number  of  the  Commercial  Advertiser^ 


212  LETTER  XX. 

in  which  the  trial  was  published  at  lengtli.  Indeed  I  be- 
lieve the  opinion  was  very  general  in  this  quarter  of  the 
state,  after  the  perusal  of  the  trial,  that  Miller  was  then  ac- 
quainted with  the  place  of  Morgan's  retreat,  and  had  absen- 
ted himself  from  court  only  to  avoid  being  compelled  to 
testify  to  that  fact. 

But  a  very  different  opinion  Continued  to  prevail  at  the 
west.  Morgan  did  not  re-appear  ;  and  circumstances  were 
continually  transpiring  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Niaga- 
ra, which  daily  produced  a  stronger  and  yet  a  stronger 
conviction,  that  he  had  been  most  foully  dealt  by.  Many 
public  meetings  had  been  held  before  the  trial  of  Chesebo- 
ro  and  his  associates ;  and  many  more  were  held  immedi- 
ately afterwards,  from  which  w^ere  issued  resolutions  and 
addresses  of  the  most  spirited  description.  The  people 
were  enraged  that  the  punishment  of  the  ofienders  was  me- 
ted out  so  lightly  by  the  court  at  Canandaigua,  and  the 
com't  itself  was  in  some  places  denounced.  The  laws  of 
the  state  were  assailed,  because,  in  the  opinion  of  these  pop- 
ular meetings,  no  adequate  punishment  for  the  crime  of  kid- 
napping a  free  citizen  was  prescribed,  and  resolutions  were 
adopted  requesting  the  legislature  to  supply  the  deficiency 
in  the  statute-book.  It  v/as  declared  in  a  convention  of 
{Seneca  county,  that  an  outrage  of  unparalleled  atrocity  had 
been  committed ;  and  that  the  courts  of  law^  had  been  ap- 
pealed to  in  vain  for  the  punishment  of  the  ofienders,  which 
declaration  was  at  that  time  untrue,  as  tliere  had  then  been 
no  cause  for  complaint  upon  this  head.  The  court  had  fear- 
lessly discharged  its  duty  on  the  only  occasion  which  liad 
offered,  for  judicial  action,  but  parties  are  always  hurrying 
to  extremes.  Freemasonry  was  now  more  fiercely  denoun- 
eed  than  ever.  It  was  pronounced  to  be  highly  prejudicial 
to  the  well  being  of  society — and  it  was  asserted  that  the  ob- 
ligations which  the  Masons  were  under  to  each  other,  forbade 
an  impartial  discharge  of  their  duty,  "  to  unoffending  citi- 


LETTER  XX.  213 

"  zens"  and  the  community  at  large.  A  secret  and  invisi- 
ble power  was  declared  to  have  controlled  the  course  of 
justice;  and  the  sentences  at  Canandaigua  were  denounced 
as  an  insult  to  an  enlightened  people.  It  was  at  this  peri- 
od, when  the  whole  country  beyond  the  Cayuga  bridge  was 
in  a  whirlwind  of  passion,  that  political  Anti-masonry  dates 
its  origin.  At  a  joint  meeting  of  the  people  of  the  towns  of 
Batavia,  Bethany  and  vStaffbrd,  it  was  resolved,  "  to  wdth- 
"  hold  their  support  at  elections  from  all  such  men  of  the 
"  masonic  fraternity,  as  countenanced  the  outrages  against 
"  Morgan."  This  resolution  was  followed  by  one  at  Sene- 
ca, directed,  without  exception,  against  all  Freemasons,  and 
resolving  that  "  they  would  not  vote  for  Freemasons,  for 
"  any  offices  whatever."  The  ominous  silence  of  a  large 
portion  of  the  newspaper  press  upon  this  subject,  began 
now  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  public,  and  a  resolution 
was  passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  towns  of  Pembroke  and  Alexan- 
der, by  which  the  people  assembled  "  pledged  themselves  to 
»•  discourage  the  circulation  of  any  paper,  the  editor  of  which 
*'  so  far  muzzled  his  press  as  to  exclude  every  fact  in  relation 
-•*  to  these  outrages."  This  resolution  was  followed  up  very 
promptly  by  the  meeting  of  Seneca  county,  where  it  was 
resolved,  "that  the  silence  of  the  public  journals  on  the  sub- 
"ject  was  alarming,  and  that  the  meeting  would  take  no 
•'  newspapers  which  did  not  publish  the  facts  and  public  pro- 
"ceedings  respecting  the  outrage;"  concluding  by  a  threat 
to  discourage  the  circulation  of  all  such  paj)ers.  These,  I 
believe,  were  the  first  denunciations  of  the  press,  for  its  con- 
duct in  this  matter.  That  there  was  some  reason  in  their 
<;ompiaints,  I  cannot  with  truth  deny ;  but  the  threatening 
spirit  of  the  complaints,  was  not  the  wisest  course  to  be 
pursued,  in  order  to  remedy  the  evil.  A  courteous  expres- 
.tjion  of  the  public  feeling  upon  the  subject,  might  have  done 
good.  The  language  of  menace,  must  necessarily  result 
ill  ways,  ^s  it  then  did,  in  positive  eviL 


214  LETTER  XX. 

The  more  people  reflected  upon  the  trial  of  Cheseboro 
and  others,  the  stronger  were  their  convictions,  that  there 
must  be  important  facts  undisclosed.  At  the  distance  of  New- 
York,  from  the  scene  of  action,  however,  it  could  hardly  be 
expected  that  we  should  understand  the  cause  of  this  great 
agitation,  as  well  as  could  those  immediately  in  its  neigh- 
borhood. But  from  the  multitude  of  the  popular  meetings^ 
which  had  increased  immediately  after  the  trial  referred  to, 
and  from  the  many  suspicious,  though  frequently  contradic- 
tory and  improbable  rumors,  which  were  borne  along  upon 
every  breeze  from  the  west,  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  had 
perhaps  formed  a  somewhat  too  hasty  opinion,  on  reading 
that  trial.  On  reviewing  it,  moreover,  I  w^as  forcibly  im- 
pressed with  the  fact,  that,  while  Cheseboro  and  Sawyer 
had  put  in  depositions  in  mitigation  of  punishment,  Lawson 
had  not  done  so.  He  had  made  an  affidavit  going  to  excul- 
pate Sheldon,  but  of  himself  he  was  silent.  He  had  been 
the  chief  agent  in  taking  Morgan  from  the  prison.  He  had 
crone  with  him  to  Rochester :  it  was  known  that  he  was  at 
theLewiston  installation,  on  the  14thof  September :  and  some- 
body had  been  most  strangely  transported  along  the  Ridge 
Road,  at  the  same  time  that  he  must  have  been  travelling 
that  very  way; — and  that  somebody,  between  midnight  and 
morning,  of  that  day,  after  being  removed  fi-om  the  carriage 
at  Youngstown,  had  very  mysteriously  disappeared  in  the 
midst  of  thick  darkness.  It  was  known  that  Lawson  return- 
ed from  Lewiston,  late  on  the  night  of  the  14th;  and  yet 
he  had  pleaded  guilty  to  all  with  which  he  stood  charged 
in  the  indictment ;  and  when  opportunity  afforded  him  a 
chance  to  speak,  he  had  not  broken  silence  in  his  own  ex- 
culpation. He  had  not  ventured  the  slightest  assurance, 
to  quote  the  language  of  the  judge  in  his  charge,  "  that  Mor- 
«  ffan  had  not  been  immolated  as  a  victim  to  their  rage,  or 
''  that  he  was  yet  in  the  land  of  the  living."  I  likewise  re- 
elected more  seriously  upon  the  fact,  that  they  had  pleaded 


LETTER  XX.  215 

guilty  by  the  advice  of  counsel  not  often  disposed  to  yield, 
in  any  case  where  high  intellectual  and  professional  talent 
can  hope  for  success. 

It  was  under  circumstances  and  impressions  like  these, 
that  I  took  the  liberty  of  addressing  a  confidential  letter  to 
my  friend,  John  C.  Spencer,  Esq.,  of  counsel  for  the  defend- 
ants, stating  the  doubts  and  fears  under  which  I  was  labor- 
ing, and  respectfully  requesting  from  him  any  facts,  or  opin- 
ions, upon  the  subject,  which  he  might  feel  at  liberty  to  com- 
municate, without  interfering  with  his  professional  duty  to 
his   clients.     Before,  however,  any  answer  from  Mr.  S. 
could  be  received  in  due  course  of  mail,  a  variety  of  addi- 
tional circumstances,  of  a  painful  nature,  had  been  received 
through  other  channels.     With  a  degree  of  spirit  and  per- 
severance suited  to  the  high  object  in  view,  and  with  an  ar- 
dour w^hich  no  discouragements  could  repress,  the  delegates 
from  the  several  committees  before  referred  to,  proceeded 
again  to  Lewiston,  immediately  after  the  Canandaigua  trial, 
to  renew  their  investigations.     They  counted   seventeea 
resolute  men,  and  the  number  would  have  been  somewhat 
greater,  had  not  a  portion  of  the  committee,  deputed  from 
Rochester,  where  the  excitement,  on  both  sides,  had  rapid- 
ly assumed  a  high  degree  of  exasperation,  been  deterred  by 
the  threats  of  the  Masons  from  joining  their  associates  on 
this  occasion.     The  visit  of  these  committees,  since  known 
as  the  Lewiston  convention,  was  not  very  acceptable  to  the 
fraternity  in  Lewiston  and  its  vicinity.     Many  of  the  Ma- 
sons from  that  and  the  adjoining  towns,  assembled  at  Lew- 
iston likewise,  some  of  them  armed,  and  all  breathing  forth 
the  most  violent  rage,  and  uttering  many  vindicative  senti- 
ments, and  even  threats,  towards  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee.    On  one  occasion  they  rushed  into  the  room  in 
which  they  were  assembled,  extinguished  the  lights,  and  heap- 
ed every  possible  epithet  of  contumely  and  rage  upon  those 
engaged  in  these  praise- worthy  investigations.  Their  object 


.■^% 


216  LETTER  XX. 

was,  clearly,  to  provoke  a  controversy,  and  tlias  bring  on  a  di- 
rect personal  and  physical  conflict.  But  the  committee  was 
composed  of  men  of  prudence,  who  sufiered  none  of  these 
things  so  far  to  move  them,  as  to  divert  them  from  the  stea- 
dy pursuit  of  tlie  great  object  which,  with  a  single  eye,  they 
were  pursuing.  Subsequently  a  conference  was  held  be- 
tween the  parties  ;  but  its  only  result  was  a  shower  of 
obloquy  heaped  upon  the  convention,  by  the  District  Attor- 
ney of  the  county,  a  royal  arch  Mason,  who  insisted  that 
these  gentlemen  had  no  right  to  come  into  his  county,  to 
investigate  criminal  matters  which  he  was  competent  to 
manage  himself. 

Having  a  case  in  hand  of  so  much  delicacy,  and  environ- 
ed with  so  many,  and  such  peculiar  difficulties,  to  which 
may  be  added  the  strong  inducements  which  many  persons 
had  to  lead  them  astray,  by  false  information,  it  may  well 
be  conceived  that  the  task  of  the  committee  was  one  of  great 
difficulty.  Many  of  the  idle  reports  with  which  the  com- 
mittee were  perplexed,  were  also  put  into  circulation  through 
the  newspapers,  tending  to  confuse  the  public  mind,  and 
unsettle  every  opinion  as  soon  as  formed.  One  of  these 
tales  was,  that  an  arrangement  had  been  made  between  the 
Masons  and  Captain  John  Brandt,  a  son  of  the  celebrated 
Mohawk  chief  by  that  name,  to  take  Morgan  from  olf  their 
hands,  and  transfer. him  to  the  British  North  Western  Fur 
Company ;  but  the  imputation  was  indignantly  repelled  by 
the  descendant  of  the  Indian  hero,  under  his  own  hand,  and 
in  a  manner  bearing  the. impress  of  ti'uth.  Another  story 
was,  that  Morgan  had  been  taken  to  Fort  George,  on  the 
Canadian  shore,  tried  by  a  masonic  tribunal,  and  executed 
by  a  young  Indian.  There  was  yet  another  report,  that  the 
Masons  of  Canada  had  been  requested  to  take  Morgan  down 
to  Quebec,  and  cause  him  to  be  shipped  on  board  of  a  ves- 
sel of  war,  which  request  being  refused,  he  was  put  into  a 
boat  above  the  falls,  cut  adrift,  and  thus  huri^ied  over  the 


LETTER  XX.  217 

cataract  into  eternity.     None  of  these  stories  were  true. 
But  before  the  investigations  of  this  meeting  of  the  conven- 
tion v/ere  closed,  they  received  information,  which  induced 
them  to  believe,  that  after  Morgan  had  been  taken  from  the 
carriage,  near  the  burying  ground,  in  Youngstown,  he  had 
been  carried  across  the  Niagara,  bhndfolded,  pinioned,  and 
gagged ; — that  he  had  been  taken  into  the  lodge  in  New- 
ark, (U.  C.)  where,  after  much  deliberation,  the  Masons  had 
refused  to  incur  the  responsibility  of  disposing  of  him  ; — that 
he  was  then  taken  back  to  the  American  side,  and  confined 
in  the  magazine  of  Fort  Niagara  ; — that  he  was  there  tried 
by  a  masonic  council,  pursuant  to  an  express  order  from 
the  Grand  Chapter,  and  put  to  death  in  the  manner  prescrib- 
ed by  one  of  the  masonic  penalties,  viz  :   by  having  his 
throat  cut,   his  tongue  torn  out  by  the  roots,  &c. ; — that 
while  the  poor  victim  was  in  confinement,  awaiting  the  sen- 
tence of  death  which  had  been  passed,  he  had  begged  for  a 
bible,  and  half  an  hour's  time  for  preparation,  which  requests 
were  brutally  denied  him.     A  number  of  letters,  written  by 
members  of  the  committee,  minutely  detailing  the  circum- 
stances  disclosed   to   them,  and  the  conclusions  at  which 
they  had  arrived,  were  published,  which  created  a  univer- 
sal feeling  of  horror  among  that  large  portion  of  the  people 
who  had  not  taken  sides  with  the  conspirators,  or  resolved 
to  believe  nothing  upon  the  subject.     And  yet,  although  the 
committee  had  received  information  leading  them  to  such 
conclusions,  they  had  not  obtained  one  particle  of  positive 
testimony — nothing  which  could  warrant  an  application,  at 
that  time,  to  grand  juries  for  bills  of  indictment.     They  had 
tliemsolves  visited   Fort   Niagara,   and  ascertained  what 
vv^as  the  internal  arrangement  and  condition  of  the  maga- 
zine,  which   was   a   strong  stone    apartment,   previously 
to  the  memorable  12th  of   September  ; — and,  from  ocu- 
lar  examination,    they    were    fully    satisfied    that    some 

person   had   been   confined   therein  :    of    this  fact   there 

28 


218  LETTER  XX. 

were  many  indications  of  a  positive  and  unequivocal 
character.  There  were  also  marks  of  great  violence 
having  been  used,  as  though  by  one  in  confinement,  who 
had  struggled  to  release  himself.  But  beyond  this,  and  cer- 
tain doubtful  appearances  of  blood,  they  could,  as  yet,  prove 
nothing.  That  "  a  deed  without  a  name"  had  been  commit- 
ted, all  were  prepared  to  believe  ;  but  by  that  time,  those 
who  would  have  gladly  spoken,  dared  only  to  whisper  in 
surmises ;  and  even  these  half  suppressed  inuendoes,  were, 
in  some  instances,  given  only  upon  solemn  pledges  that 
their  names  were  not  to  be  used.  The  prevalence  of  such 
a  panic,  among  enlightened  people, — a  people  unused  to 
fear — is  not  the  least  remarkable  feature  of  these  strange 
transactions.  It  is  probably  to  be  accounted  for  upon  the 
simple  principle,  that  the  apprehensions  of  men  are  always 
increased,  in  novel  situations,  w^hen  they  are  involved  in 
darkness.  The  secret  and  invisible  power  of  Freemasonry, 
was,  at  that  time,  a  subject  occupying  all  minds — the  theme 
of  every  tongue.  Its  power,  and  its  strength,  and  the  ex- 
tent of  its  influence,  were  magnified  a  thousand  fold.  Its 
secret  meetings,  however,  were  held,  and,  without  pausing 
to  reason  or  reflect  upon  the  matter,  as  one  deed  of  dark- 
ness had,  beyond  a  doubt,  been  enacted  by  its  instigation, 
people  seemed  to  think  that  others  might  follow,  by  the 
same  unseen  hands,  as  often  as  it  might  be  deemed  necessa- 
ry to  suppress  the  testimony  of  one,  or  denounce  vengeance 
for  disclosures  made  by  another. 

It  was  precisely  at  this  crisis,  and,  if  I  do  not  misrecollect, 
by  the  same  mail  which  brought  the  correspondence  of  the 
Lewiston  Committee,  of  which  I  have  been  speaking,  that  I 
received  a  reply  to  the  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  Spencer. 
Without  going  much  into  particulars,  Mr.  S.  wrote  me. 
tliat,  from  the  facts  and  circumstances  with  which  he  had 
been  made  acquainted,  "  there  were  strong  reasons  for  be- 
*'  lieving  that  the  worst  I  could  havb  heard  was  true.'' 


LETTER  XX.  219 

From  that  moment,  my  own  course  was  decided.  While 
halting  between  two  opinions — weighing  and  balancing  the 
different  accounts  daily  reaching  us  from  the  west, — scarce- 
ly knowing  which  to  believe,  or,  whether  to  reject  the  whole, 
— I  had  published  but  little  upon  the  subject,  until  the  re- 
port of  Cheseboro's  trial  was  received.  Convinced,  howe- 
ver, at  last,  that  there  was  substantial  cause  for  the  excite- 
ment, my  resolution  was  taken,  regardless  of  consequences, 
to  discharge  my  whole  duty  to  the  community,  as  a  public 
journalist.  But  I  also  determined  to  hold  the  scales  with 
an  even  hand  ;  and  while  all  facts  of  importance  should  be 
pubUshed,  and  the  guilty  denounced  in  terms  of  just  and 
merited  indignation,  yet  I  was  not  to  be  driven  to  confound 
the  innocent  with  the  guilty,  or  to  publish  all  the  wild  tales 
and  inflammatory  speeches,  and  resolutions,  which  might 
issue  from  excited  popular  meetings,  or  be  poured  forth  in 
the  columns  of  village  newspapers,  now  starting  up  in  vari- 
ous places,  like  mushroons  of  a  night, — determined,  as  was 
clearly  perceptible,  not  only  to  ride  upon  the  whirlwind, 
and  direct  the  storm,  but,  in  more  ways  than  one,  to  turn 
the  righteous  indignation  of  a  generous  people,  to  private 
account.  In  one  word,  my  object  was  impartiality  and  truth ; 
and  although  the  ultras,  of  both  parties,  have  often  been  dis- 
pleased because  I  chose  to  persist  in  pursuing  the  even 
tenor  of  my  way  upon  this  subject, — guided  alone  by  the 
rule  of  right, — and  although  both  have,  more  than  once,  at- 
tempted to  make  me  feel  the  weight  of  their  power,  still,  I 
have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing,  that,  with  singleness  of 
purpose,  I  have  endeavored  to  discharge  my  duty  honestly, 
and  fearlessly  ;  and  I  have  many  substantial  reasons  for  be- 
lieving, that  the  course  which  has  been  taken  by  the  papers 
in  which  I  have  a  deep  concern,  has  been  such,  in  general, 
as  to  command  the  approbation  of  the  wise  and  the  good. 

On  closing  its  labors  for  this  time,  the  Lewiston  Conven- 
tion did  not  dissolve  itself,  but  only  adjourned.     The  last 


920  LETTER  XX. 

act  of  the  meeting,  was  to  petition  the  Legislature,  which 
was  then  in  session,  for  aid  in  pursuing  the  investigation.  A 
memorial  was  prepared,  and  soon  afterwards  transmitted  to 
Albany,  praying  that  an  additional  and  greater  reward 
should  be  offered  for  the  apprehension  and  conviction  of 
those  engaged  in  the  abduction  and  probable  murder  of 
Morgan,  and  likewise  for  the  appointment  of  a  special  com- 
missioner to  prosecute  the  matter,  and,  if  possible,  bring  the 
offenders  to  justice. 

The  letters  from  Lewiston,  to  which  I  have  referred,  were 
written  at  various  periods,  from  the  12th  to  the  30th  of 
January,  inclusive.  Like  all  the  preceding  developements, 
though  clouded  in  uncertainty  as  to  the  facts,  the  tendency 
of  these  letters  was  still  more  to  inflame  the  public  mind ; 
and  the  flight  of  two  men,  who  were  strongly  suspected  as 
principals  in  the  outrages,  just  at  this  time,  also  tended  to 
strengthen  the  public  confidence  in  the  general  accuracy  of 
those  disclosures.  The  persons  to  whom  I  allude,  were, 
Burrage  Smith,  and  John  Whitney,  of  Rochester — the  wit- 
nesses, on  the  trial  of  Cheseboro,  and  others,  who  were  so 
much  afraid  of  criminating  themselves.  These  men  both 
privately  left  their  places  of  residence,  while  the  Lewiston 
Committee  was  yet  pushing  their  inquiries  on  the  Niagara. 
A  member  of  the  committee,  from  Rochester,  was  in  Al- 
bany, on  the  1st  of  February,  and  saw  Smith  in  that  city. 
Bowen  Whiting,  Esq.,  the  District  Attorney  of  Ontario,, 
w^ho,  although  a  Mason,  had  so  ably  and  faithfully  discharg- 
ed his  duties  on  the  late  trials,  as  to  command  the  universal 
approbation  of  the  public,  was  likewise  in  Albany.  The 
moment  he  was  apprised  by  the  Rochester  gentleman,  of 
Smith's  presence  in  that  city,  he  applied  to  the  police  jus- 
tice for  a  warrant  for  his  arrest.  This  was  early  on  the 
morning  of  February  2d.  The  warrant  was  granted.  But, 
although  constables  are  very  plenty  in  Albany,  still,  from 
<:ircumstances  that  have  ne^  er  been  explained,  the  warrant 


LETTER  XX.  221 

was  not  placed  in  tlie  hands  of  an  officer  until  late  in  the 
afternoon.  The  officer  repaired  immediately  to  the  lodgings 
of  Smith,  but  the  bird  had  flown.  I  do  not  intend  to  incul- 
pate the  magistrate  in  this  matter  ;  but  there  were  a  variety 
of  circumstances  inducing  a  belief  that  Smith  had  been  ap- 
prised of  its  being  unsafe  for  him  to  remain  longer  in  that 
capital ;  and  the  fact  that  the  magistrate  was  an  officer  in 
the  Grand  Chapter,  did  not  escape  the  public  attention,  and 
was  the  subject  of  unpleasant  remark.  Smith  and  Whitney 
having  each  a  family,  and  both  being  respectable  men,  doing 
a  good  business  at  Rochester,  were  immediately  afterwards 
known  to  have  fled  the  country.  They  came  to  this  city  ;. 
and  the  rumor  at  the  time  was,  that  they  were  so  impatient 
(or  at  least  one  of  them  was)  to  get  to  New-Orleans,  that  they 
were  put  on  board  of  a  ship  outward  bound,  at  the  Hook — 
a  boat  having  been  sent  nearly  thirty  miles,  to  overtake  her. 
Col.  King,  whose  name  has  already  been  introduced  in  the 
preceding  narrative,  and  who  must  necessarily  be  spoken 
of  again,  fled  yet  earlier  before  the  storm — he  having  left 
the  district  of  excitement  in  December.  Governor  Clinton 
afterwards  informed  me  that  King  called  upon  him,  as  he 
passed  through  Albany,  and  behaved  very  strangely.  He 
thought  him  partially  deranged.  King  applied  to  him  for 
a  loan  of  money,  which  was  declined.  He  then  requested 
an  appointment,  or  a  recommendation  for  an  appointment,, 
which  he  wished  to  obtain  at  Washington.  This  request 
was  likewise  declined.  Leaving  Albany  for  Washington, 
he  shortly  aftervs^ards  drew  upon  Governor  C.  from  that 
city,  for  two  hundred  dollars,  without  the  least  encourage- 
ment or  authority,  and  succeeded  in  getting  the  draft 
cashed.  While  at  the  seat  of  government,  he  procured  the 
situation  of  sutler  at  Cantonment  Towson,  in  the  remotest 
part  of  Arkansas  Territory,  to  which  place  he  repaired, 
leaving  his  tamily  at  Youngstown. 

Very  respectfully  yours. 


i 


222  LETTER  XXI. 


LETTER  XXI. 

New- York,  Feb.  19,  1832. 

iSiR, 

The  eyes  of  the  anti-masonic  pubhc  were  now  turned 
in  a  different  direction.  It  w^as  known  that  the  annual 
convocation  of  the  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  commen- 
ces its  sittings  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  February,  in  each 
year,  at  Albany.  On  the  one  hand,  some  of  the  leaders  of 
the  conspirators  had  declared,  that  their  proceedings  in  re- 
gard to  Morgan,  had  been  enacted  in  obedience  to  the 
Grand  Chapter  ;  and  although  the  tale  could  not,  by  possi- 
bility, be  true,  inasmuch  as  that  body  meets  but  once  a 
year,  and  it  had  not  been  in  session  since  the  February  pre- 
ceding the  abduction  ;  yet  it  was  unquestionably  believed 
by  many  Masons,  who  had  been  led  to  participate  in  the 
outrage.  And  on  the  other,  the  greater  number  of  the  Ma- 
sons were  disclaiming  and  disavowing  the  transactions  alto- 
gether. The  Masons,  how^ever,  were,  at  this  time,  divided 
into  four  classes,  and  it  is  proper  that  the  precise  distinctions 
should  be  stated  here,  that  they  may  be  retained  and  al- 
lowed, on  all  proper  occasions,  in  the  course  of  the  narra- 
tive, 1  St.  There  were  the  guilty  Masons,  and  their  imme- 
diate confidants,  if  not  allies.  2d.  The  thorough-going  Ma- 
sons, who,  though  not  actually  guilty,  nor  previously  aware 
of  the  intended  procedure  against  Morgan,  were  still  rather 
disposed  to  think,  if  they  did  not  actually  say,  that  the  actors 
had  served  the  traitor  right.  3d.  A  small  number  of  retired 
Masons,  who  had  resumed  their  aprons  in  consequence  of 
the  spirit  of  persecution  that  had  gone  abroad,  and  who,  as 
men  conscious  of  their  own  rights,  and  their  own  innocence, 


LETTER  XXI.  223 

felt  bound  to  resist  the  intolerant  spirit  of  Anti-masonry. 
4th.  A  much  larger  body  of  Masons  than  either  of  the 
preceding,  who,  having  virtually  relinquished  the  institution 
long  ago,  and  ceased  to  care  much  about  it,  were  now  mere 
passive  Masons,  condemning  the  outrages,  if  they  could 
be  made  to  believe  them  true,  as  strongly  as  the  most  ve- 
hement of  the  Anti-masons  could  do ;  but  doubting,  ne- 
vertheless, whether  it  could  be  possible  that  any  substan- 
tial cause  existed  for  the  excitement. 

The  most  zealous,  and  I  may  perhaps  say,  unreasonable 
of  the  Anti-masons,  believing,  as  they  did,  or  affected  to  do, 
that  the  outrages  had  been  sanctioned  by  the  Grand  Chap- 
ter, had  no  right,  of  course,  to  anticipate  the  manifestation 
of  any  special  indignation  against  the  conduct  of  their 
western  brethren,  in  this  matter.  The  first  and  second 
classes  secretly  took  their  own  measures,  as  will  be  seen  in 
the  result.  But  the  third  and  fourth  classes  of  the  fraternity, 
as  I  have  classed  them,  and  the  great  body  of  the  people  not 
belonging  to  the  order,  did  look  forward  to  the  adoption  of 
some  strong  and  decisive  measures  on  the  part  of  the  Grand 
Chapter,  which  should  clear  its  own  skirts,  and  proclaim  its 
own  innocence. 

That  lawless  outrages  had  been  committed  in  the  name  of 
Freemasonry,  was  known  to  all  :  that  those  outrages  had 
been  concluded  by  a  fearful  act,  was  believed  by  many : 
and  that,  at  least,  three  members  of  the  fraternity  had  been 
convicted,  and  were  at  that  time  in  prison  for  their  crimes, 
was  a  matter  of  public  judicial  record.  Equally  well 
known  was  the  fact,  that  the  local  masonic  bodies  to  which 
those  convicted  brethren  belonged,  had  taken  no  measures 
to  manifest  their  displeasure  at  their  conduct.  Under  cir- 
cumstances like  these,  wnac  more  just  or  natural  expecta- 
tion could  have  been  entertained  by  an  anxious  public,  than 
that  the  highest  masonic  body  in  the  state,  if  guiltless  in  all 
these  matters,  and  in  no  wisq  cognizant  thereof,  should,  at 


224  LETTER  XXI. 

once,  have  assumed  an  attitude  that  would  have  vindicated 
its  members  from  all  suspicion  ?  It  is  true  that  the  Grand 
Chapter  had  no  right  to  expel  the  olFenders  from  the  re- 
spective chapters  to  which  they  belonged.  Nor,  in  regard 
to  those  who  were  Masons  of  three  degrees  only,  had  they 
any  jurisdiction  in  the  case.  But  they  had  power  to  insti- 
tute the  most  rigid  investigation  into  the  causes  of  the  ex- 
citement at  the  west,  and  they  were  not  destitute  of  funds. 
They  had  power  to  demand  explanations  from  the  local 
chapters,  and  require  them  to  show  cause  why  their  char- 
ters should  not  be  tal^en  from  them.  They  had  power,  and 
means,  for  offering  a  heavy  reward  for  the  apprehension  and 
conviction  of  the  offenders  ; — and  they  had  among  them 
the  ability,  if  the  disposition  had  existed,  to  put  forth  a  mani- 
festo, showing,  at  least,  that  they  were  in  earnest  in  any  dis- 
claimer they  might  proclaim  to  the  public.  Did  they  do 
so  ?  Did  they  do  any  of  these  things  ? — I  am  ashamed, 
and  w^as  grieved  at  the  time,  to  be  compelled  to  reply,  that 
they  did  not. 

The  Grand  Chapter  met,  and  elected  its  officers  ;  and  in 
publishing  the  list,  it  was  somewhat  ostentatiously  announc- 
ed in  the  Albany  Masonic  Record,  that  upw^irds  of  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  subordinate  chapters  w-ere  represented — 
which  was  an  unusaliy  large  number.  But  so  far  from  tak- 
ing any  efficient  step  in  the  great  matter  before  the  public, 
which  was  then  agitating  all  minds  at  the  west,  and  array- 
ing friends,  and  neighbors,  and  christian  brethren,  and 
churches  in  fierce  unchristian  liostility  against  each  other, — 
what  did  they  do  ?  Why,  sir,  they  contented  themselves, 
by  issuing  to  tlie  public  a  tame  and  spiritless  resolution, 
with  a  preamble,  setting  forth  some  common-place  and  ab- 
stract propositions  about  personal  liberty,  and  "  the  bless- 
"  ings  of  our  republican  institutions," — admitting  that  there 
had  been  a  violation  of  those  rights  under  the  "  alledged'' 
pretext  of  the  masonic  nama  &:c..  and  ending  by  a  simple 


LETTER  XXi.'  22t1 

disclosure  of  all  individual  or  collective  knov^^ledge  of  the 
transactions  in  question.*     And  this  was  all !     Sir,  it  was 
a  mockery.     The  crisis,  and  the  occasion,  demanded  a  doc- 
ument of  a  difterent  stamp.-      Nor  was  a  proclamation,  of 
any  description,  alone  suificient  to  satisfy  the  public.  There 
should  have  been  resolutions  of  inquiry ;  an  efficient  com- 
mittee of  investigation,  in  whom  the  public  wouldhave  re- 
posed confidence  ;  and  a  heavy  rew^ard.     But  none  of  these 
things  were  done.     An  empty  "  whereas,"  and  an  equivocal 
denial,  was  all  that  the  Grand  Chapter  could  do  by  way  of 
appeasing  a  population  of  three  hundred  thousand  souls, 
who  had  been  thrown  into  an  unexampled  state  of  excite- 
ment by  the  conduct  of  members  of  the  fraternity.     Some 
of  those  members  had  been  arrested ; — they  had  confessed 
their  guilt ; — they  w^ere  then  immured  in  a  prison  ; — and 
yet  there  was  not  even  a  rebuke  of  their  conduct  at  eom-^ 
mand  !     I  repeat,  sir,  it  was  a  mockery :  it  w^as  an  insult 
upon  the  people.     For  of  what  value,  can  it  be  supposed^ 
was  such  a  disclaimer  in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  when  they 
knew  very  well,  that  there  were  present  in  the  Grand 
Chapter,  at  that  very  time,  in  full  communion,  and  passing 
upon  this  very  resolution,  some  of  those  very  conspirators 
themselves  !      Such,  sir,  was  the  fact.     Need  we  marvel, 
then,  that  this  preamble  and  resolution  gave  no  satisfaction 
to  the  public  ;  that  it  was  viewed  with  disgust ;  that  it  was 
transparent,  and  was  looked  upon  rather  as  an  evidence  of 
guilt,  than  of  innocence  ? 

Most  heartily,  sir,  do  I  wish  I  could  here  dismiss  this  act 
in  the  drama.  But  truth  requires  at  my  hands  a  disclo- 
sure upon  this  subject,  which,  I  believe,  has  never  before 
been  made,  in  its  details,  and  which  speaks  in  a  voice  of 
thunder  against  the  masonic  institution  in  the  state  of  New*^ 
York.     By  the  very  terms  of  the  boasted  pre^cigmation  pu^ 

^'-  F?ce  Appcmlix,  F. 


226  ^  I^ETTER  XXI, 

forth  by  the  Grand  Chapter,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  camo 
before  that  body  as  the  report  of  a  committee.  Two  of 
the  members  of  that  committee  w^ere,  the  late  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral Beck,  and  a  gentleman  who  was  then  a  distinguish- 
ed member  of  the  legislature,  of  great  moral  worth,  and  a 
professor  of  religion,  whose  daily  w^alk  and  conversation 
adorn  hi^  profession.  Believing,  as  these  gentlemen  did, 
that  the  outrage  upon  Morgan  was  highly  alarming,  and 
supposing  that  only  a  few  miguided  zealots  had  been  en- 
gaged in  it,  they  accepted  appointments  upon  the  committee, 
with  a  determination  to  do  every  thing  in  their  power  to 
bring  to  light  the  truth.  The  committee  had  two  or  three 
meetings ;  and  the  gentleman  to  w^hom  I  have  alluded,  but 
who  does  not  desire  to  have  his  name  introduced  to  the 
public  in  print,  expressed  himself,  as  did  some  others,  very 
indignantly  at  the  attack  upon  Morgan.  One  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  committee,  however,  was  bold  to  hazard  the  as- 
sertion, "  that  if  Morgan  had  been  put  out  of  the  way,  he 
«  deserved  it."  But  he  was  immediately  told  that  such  lan- 
guage could  come  from  no  man,  who  knew  what  Masonry 
was,  and  what  the  laws  of  God  and  man  require.  After 
due  consideration  of  the  subject  committed  to  them,  the 
committee  prepared  a  report  and  resolutions,  with  the  dis- 
sent of  the  member  last  referred  to,  recommending  the  of- 
fering of  a  reward  of  one  thousand  dollars,  for  the  discovery 
of  the  murderers,  together  with  a  declaratory  resolution, 
denying  any  knowledge,  on  the  part  of  the  Grand  Chapter, 
«is  to  the  persons  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  crime. 

When  the  report  was  introduced,  the  resolution  propo- 
sing the  reward  was  most  furiously  assailed  by  some  of  the 
New- York,  and  the  western  members,  and  although  defend- 
ed by  the  late  Gen.  Beck,  with  my  friend,  and  some  others^ 
IT  WAS  REJECTED !  So  also  was  the  preamble  of  that  re- 
})ort  rejected ;  and  a  strong  attempt  was  likewise  made  to 
reject  the  concluding  resolution,  but  it  did  not  succeed — 


J.ETTER  XXI.  227 

although  the  gentlemen  who  had  introduced  the  report, 
considered  that  it  had  received  its  death-blow,  so  far  as  any 
attempt  at  investigation  was  to  be  undertaken,  or  serious 
exculpation  made  of  the  chapter  itself.  Why,  it  was  urg- 
ed, in  the  debate  upon  the  first  resolution,  be  unwilling  to 
offer  a  reward  for  the  detection  and  arrest  of  the  offenders, 
and  thus  show  to  the  world  the  sincerity  of  the  regrets  we 
profess,  and  the  truth  of  our  protestations  of  innocence  ?  In 
reply,  sentiments  were  advanced,  (particularly  by  the  dis- 
senting member  of  the  committee,  who  lived  westward  of 
Ontario,)  which  not  only  breathed  the  spirit  of  the  wdldest 
fanaticism,  but  were  shocking  to  the  feelings  of  the  friends 
of  the  report.  He  was  not  allowed  to  proceed  by  the 
chapter  ;  and  my  friend  left  the  lodge-room  for  a  short  time. 
But  judge  of  his  surprise  on  returning  into  the  chapter,  to 
find  that  a  resolution,  granting  to  the  committee  of  charity 
for  the  use  of  "  the  western  sufferers,"  a  term  well  under- 
stood, the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  had  been  offered 
and  passed  suh  silentio.  Such  an  appropriation  was  with- 
out precedent  or  parallel.  "  Its  object,"  says  my  friend,  in 
a  recent  letter  now  before  me,  "  I  could  not  mistake.  It 
"  was  to  give  relief  to  the  western  brethren.  I  made  some 
"  inquiries,  but  obtained  no  satisfactory  answers.  The 
"  next  winter,  while  at  Albany,  I  heard  some  complaint 
"  from  one  of  the  officers  of  the  chapter,  that  the  money 
"  had  been  drawn  by  General  Gould,  of  Rochester,  and  that 
*'  no  satisfactory  account  had  been  given  of  the  manner  in 
"  which  it  had  been  expended." 

Referring  again  to  the  course  of  the  Grand  Chapter  respec- 
ting the  Morgan  affair,  my  friend  remarks  : — ^^*  The  whole 
"  business  appeared  to  me  to  be  done  to  smother  up  the  af- 
**  fair,  and  I  felt  very  much  dissatisfied  with  the  rejection  of 
*<  the  resolution  profiTering  the  reward.  I  so  expressed  my^ 
^  self  in  the  chapter,  and  declared  my  firm  conviction,  that 


$2B  LETTER  XXII, 

^'  the  course  pursued  was  a  death-blow  to  masonry  ; — and 
i'*  although  no  prophet,  my  prediction  has  been  fulfilled." 

This,  sir,  is  a  revelation  of  truth.  1  submit  it  to  you,  sir, 
^nd  to  all  others  who  may  chance  to  peruse  it,  without 
comment,  further  than  to  add — for  there  are  hundreds  who 
have  heard  me  declare  my  unbelief  in  the  existence  of  such 
a  spirit  in  the  Grand  Chapter  at  that  time, — that  I  myself 
■f*  have  only  obtained  the  secret  history  of  that  convocation, 

since  the  present  correspondence  was  commenced.     This 
declaration  ig  due  as  an  act  of  justice  to  myself. 

Very  respectfully,  &c, 


LETTER   XXIL 

New- York,  Feb.  20,  1832. 

Wholly  unsatisfactory  as  was  the  faultering  disclaim^ 
er  put  forth  by  the  grand  chapter,  yet  the  conspiring  Ma- 
sons and  their  allies,  and  those  of  the  fraternity  who  yet 
hoped  for  the  best,  pointed  to  it  for  some  time  as  a  vindica- 
tion, at  least  of  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  order.  But 
jt  had  no  effect  upon  the  public  mind  in  the  excited  districts, 
and  but  very  little  elsewhere.  Indeed  at  the  west  the  ex- 
citement continued  to  increase,  if  possible,  more  rapidly 
than  ever.  Meetings  were  held  in  all  directions ;  the  peo- 
ple seemed  to  have  relinquished  all  other  business  ;  and  the 
fjtanding  theme  of  conversation,  in  the  tavern,  the  counting- 
room,  and  the  work-shop ;  in  the  Held,  and  by  the  way- 
side ;  at  home  and  abroad ;  was  Morgan  and  the  Freemar 
jBons,  The  disclaimer  of  the  Grand  Chapter  was  pronoun- 
ced cold,  lieartlcss  and  insincere ;  and  a  degree  of  passion 
began  to  be  exhibited  which  threatened  serious  results.  Not 
Qn\y  were  county  conventigps  called,  but  numerous  meet-^ 


LETTER  XXII.  229 

ings  were  held  in  the  various  towns,  and  the  most  sweep- 
ing resolutions  passed,  often  breathing  a  spirit  of  persecu- 
tion and  revenge  against  the  whole  body  of  Masons ;  de- 
nouncing the  officers  and  ministers  of  justice  ;  condemning 
the  sheriff  of  Canandaigua  for  the  lenity  extended  by  him 
to  the  conspirators  in  confinement ;  and  proclaiming  an  in- 
terminable war  against  every  Mason,  and,  I  may  add,  in 
some  instances,  against  all  those  who  should  refuse  to  join 
in  the  crusade  against  them.  Every  term  of  vituperation 
supplied  by  a  language  that  is  sufficiently  copious  in  epi- 
thets, was  freely  used.  The  resolutions  proscribing  Masons 
as  unworthy  to  hold  any  offices  whatever,  were  multiplied ; 
the  most  positive  pledges  were  made,  that  none  such  should 
ever  thereafterwards  receive  their  sufirages  at  the  elections ; 
and  as  the  town  meetings,  usually  held  in  that  country  in  the 
month  of  March,  approached,  arrangements  were  made  for 
carrying  their  resolutions  into  effect  at  the  polls.  The  de- 
nunciations of  the  press  were  continued  in  the  bitterest 
terms,  and  prpscriptive  resolutions,  against  all  papers  that 
did  not  demean  themselves  exactly  as  the  committees  de- 
sired, w^ere  sent  forth  in  showers.  That  the  people  had 
some  cause  for  their  distrust  and  jealousy  of  the  press,  I  am 
not  disposed  to  deny.  The  truth  will  not  allow  me  to  do  it. 
But  of  this  subject  hereafter. 

The  war  was  likewise  carried  into  matters  of  religion. 
Ministers  of  that  gospel  which  breathes  "  peace  on  earth  and 
"  good  will  to  men,"  were  denounced ;  and  although  their 
walk  and  conversation  during  the  whole  of  their  lives  might 
have  been  pure  and  blameless,  yet  the  popular  mandate 
went  forth,  that,  unless  they  forthwith  renounced  their  Ma- 
sonry, they  were  no  longer  fit  to  minister  at  the  altar.  In 
some  places  the  people  resolved  that  they  would  not  even 
licar  a  minister  preach,  unless  he  renounced  the  lodge-room. 
Several  clergymen  were  dismissed — "  the  relations  which 
'*'  had  subsisted  for  years  between  the  pastor  and  his  flock, 


^SO  LETTER  XXIl. 

"  were  burst  asunder — ^brethren  and  communicants  of  the 
"  same  church,  refused  to  partake  of  the  holy  sacrament,  so 
"  long  as  it  was  tainted  by  a  Mason's  presence — the  dearest 
"  relations  of  social  life  were  severed  in  twain — brother  was 
"  armed  against  brother,  citizen  against  citizen,  and  neigh- 
"  bor  against  neighbor.  The  groans  of  Calvary  were  lost, 
"  and  the  precepts  of  the  Redeemer  forgotten,  amidst  the 
"  universal  cry  of  "  where  is  Morgan  ?"  And  echo  answer- 
ed ichere  ? 

The  violence  of  these  proceedings  began  to  create  a  re- 
vulsion in  the  public  sentiment  without  the  boundaries  of 
the  agitated  district.  Good  men,  who  knew,  and  felt,  that 
it  was  "  a  blessed  spirit"  in  its  origin,  now  hesitated,  paused, 
and  inquired  to  what  such  things  might  lead.  Morgan,  it 
was  true,  was  yet  absent,  and  the  mystery  of  his  disappear- 
ance was  as  dark  as  ever.  But  there  were  so  many  con- 
tradictory and  conflicting  stories  afloat,  that  the  mind  was 
literally  "in  wandering  mazes  lost."  And  what  contribu- 
ted again  to  raise  doubts  upon  the  subject,  were  the  facts, 
that  one  man,  as  it  was  now  on  all  hands  admitted,  had  been 
unjustly  convicted.  Another,  who  had  been  strongly  charg- 
ed as  a  principal  in  the  alledged  murder,  by  the  Lewiston 
committee,  had  been  exonerated  by  two  of  its  principal 
members,  from  any  knowledge  of,  or  participation  in,  the 
crime — or  rather,  (for  he  was  now  dead,)  his  memory  had 
been  relieved  of  the  reproach  by  that  committee.  In  addi- 
tion to  these  circumstances,  another  member  of  the  same 
committee,  had  airthorised  the  editor  of  a  paper  at  Batavia 
to  declare  to  the  public,  "  that  no  signs  of  blood,  or  any 
"  other  probable  evidences  of  the  murder  of  Morgan,  had 
"  been  discovered  at  Fort  Niagara."  This  was  in  direct 
contradiction  of  what  had  been  understood  as  one  of  the 
principal  discoveries  in  the  magazine.  And,  in  sober  truth, 
what  with  these  contradictions,  and  the  honest,  and  sincere, 
and  spirited  denial  of  Brandt,  of  which  I  have  already  spo- 


LETTER  XXII.  231 

ken,  from  the  testimony  now  before  the  pubhc,  all  the  ma- 
terial discoveries  of  the  Lewiston  convention  during  its 
January  visit  to  the  frontier,  had  been  successively  discred- 
ited. It  is  therefore  not  at  all  strange,  that  there  should 
have  been  a  pause  in  the  public  mind  at  a  distance  from 
the  scene  of  the  commotion.  The  history  of  the  world 
forms,  for  the  most  part,  but  a  humiliating  record  of  tho 
crimes,  the  vices,  and  the  follies  of  men,  arising  from  the 
indulgence  of  selfishness,  or  the  still  baser  passions  of  the 
human  heart ;  and  this  history  is  fruitful  in  examples  of  the 
dangers  resulting  from  popular  excitements.  However 
just  and  holy  may  be  the  feeling  in  which  they  commence, 
the  moment  they  obtain  the  mastery  over  reason  and  the 
law,  there  is  no  foretelling  the  lengths  to  which  an  excited 
populace  may  be  hurried,  either  by  the  unrestrained  power 
of  their  own  passions,  or  by  the  uses  to  which  their  origi- 
nally honest  indignation  may  be  moulded  by  the  artful  and 
aspiring  demagogue.  Mankind  are  essentially  the  same  in 
all  ages  and  countries,  modified  only  by  circumstances  of 
climate,  education,  and  their  civil  and  pohtical  condition ; 
and  these  advantages  have  never  yet  so  far  exalted  the  hu- 
man character,  as  to  raise  the  mass  of  men  above  the  preju- 
dices, and  the  passions  of  party,  or  to  place  them  beyond 
the  reach  of  flattering  and  knavish  leaders.  The  history 
of  New-England  furnished  a  striking  example  of  the  extent 
to  which  a  popular  excitement  can  be  carried,  even  amongst 
the  best  informed  and  the  most  pious  race  of  men  that  have 
ever  existed.  Without  recurring  to  the  bloody  annals  of 
France,  the  gun  powder  and  the  Popish  plots  in  England, 
furnish  evidence  to  the  same  effect ;  the  Saviour  of  Men  fell 
a  victim  to  a  popular  excitement  in  Jerusalem,  wiiich  in- 
timidated the  Roman  government ; — on  one  day  the  peo- 
ple of  Lycaonia  could  scarce  be  restrained  from  offering  sa- 
crifice to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  on  the  next  the  same  peo- 
ple were  excited  to  stone  and  drag  them  ignominiously 


232  LETTER  XXII. 

through  the  streets,  leaving  them  for  dead  in  the  suburbs ; — 
and,  not  to  multiply  examples,  in  returning  to  our  own 
country,  at  a  comparatively  recent  day,  we  have  seen  the 
civil  authorities  of  a  fair  city  at  the  south,  paralyzed  by  a 
popular  excitement,  and  its  streets  reeking  with  the  blood 
of  its  murdered  citizens.  In  one  word,  there  is  as  yet  no 
sufficient  evidence  but  that  any  large  mass  of  men,  heated 
by  excitement,  no  matter  how  created,  might  be  so  wielded 
by  another  Antony,  as  to  be  made  gladly  to  apply  the  torch 
to  the  house  of  that  same  Brutus,  who  w^as  the  chiefest  idol 
of  popular  idolatry  one  brief  hour  before.  Cautioned  by 
facts  and  reflections  like  these,  the  discredit  that  had  for  the 
moment  been  thrown  upon  the  revelations  of  the  Lewiston 
convention,  although  Morgan  was  still  absent,  and  his  ab- 
sence unaccounted  for,  had  the  effect  of  checking  the  pub- 
lic feeling  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  if  not  of  causing  a  po- 
sitive re-action. 

But  in  the  excited  region,  there  were  ample  causes  for 
keeping  the  elements  in  commotion.  Several  of  the  per- 
sons who  went  from  Canandaigua  to  Batavia,  to  arrest 
Morgan  on  the  trumped-up  charge  of  larceny,  were  tried 
at  the  General  Sessions  of  Ontario,  held  during  the  month 
of  February,  of  which  I  am  now  WTiting,  on  a  charge  of 
forcibly  seizing  and  falsely  imprisoning  Morgan ;  but  they 
were  acquitted,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  protected  by 
the  warrant  for  his  arrest.  But  the  manner  in  w'hich  Dr. 
S.  S.  Butler  gave  his  testimony,  was  the  cause  of  dissatis- 
faction. This  gentleman,  it  may  be  recollected,  was  the 
same  who  had  been  sent  forward  from  Stafford  to  Batavia, 
on  the  evening  of  September  10th,  to  announce  to  certain 
friends  in  the  latter  place,  the  approaching  visit  of  Chese* 
boro  and  Hayward,  in  pui^uit  of  Morgan,  with  the  war- 
rant. Connected  with  this  individual  also,  was  the  still 
more  important  faqt,  that,  on  the  organization  of  the  grand 
Jui-y  for  the  term  of  the  Genesee  Court  of  General  Sessions, 


LETTER  XXII.  2SS 

for  this  same  month  of  February,  and  when  it  was  probable 
that  some  further  judicial  proceedings  would  be  instituted 
upon  this  subject,  this  Dr.  Butler  was  appointed  foreman. 
He  was  a  Knight  Templar,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  jury 
were  Masons.     Of  this  fact  the  foreman  was  not  slow  to 
avail  himself.     To  one  of  the  jurymen,  also  a  Templar,  he 
remarked : — "  A  majority  of  the  jurors  are  Masons  :  we 
"  have  got  the  stuff  in  our  own  hands  :  our  friends  must  not 
"  be  indicted  !"     The  promulgation  of  such  facts  as  these, 
was  calculated  to  produce  fresh  irritation.     It  was  the  first 
direct  evidence  yet  disclosed,  that  Freemasonry  was,  at 
least  in  that  section  of  the  state,  endeavoring  to  impede  the 
march  of  justice,  even  in  its  very  sanctuaries ;  and  glad 
should  I  feel,  could  it  truly  be  said  it  was  the  last.     But  it 
so  happened,  that  the  sheriffs  of  all  the  counties  of  that  dis- 
trict of  country,  were  at  that  time  Masons.     As  the  law  of 
New- York  then  was,  the  grand  jurors  were  selected  and 
summoned  by  the  sheriffs.     And  it  generally  occurred  that 
large  majorities  of  the  juries  so  summoned,  were  Masons 
likewise.     This  was  the  fact  in  January,  at  the  Niagara 
General  Sessions.     The  Lewiston  committee   were  then 
making  their  investigations  along  the  Niagara  frontier ;  and 
Eli  Bruce,  the  sheriff,    summoned  sixteen   Masons  upon 
the  grand  jury.     No  applications,  however,  were  made  at 
this  term,  for  indictments  ;  but  it  will,  by  and  bye,  appear 
to  what  uses  Mr.  Bruce  did  bring  his  Masonry,  at  a  sub- 
sequent period,  in  this  very  respect. 

At  the  term  of  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  of 
Ontario,  just  mentioned,  the  grand  jury  renewed  the 
inquiries  in  the  case  of  Morgan.  They  found  a  bill 
of  indictment  against  seventeen  persons,  for  a  conspi- 
racy to  kidnap  and  carry  away  that  person,  and  for 
falsely  imprisoning  and  carrying  him  to  parts  unknown. 
These  persons  were  James  Lakey,  a  physician,  Chaun- 

cey  H.  Coe,  Hiram   Hubbard,   John   Butterfield,  Jaraes 

30 


2S4  LETTER  XXil. 

Ganson,  formerly  s.  member  of  the  stale  legislature,  Asa 
Nowlen,  Harris  Seymour,  Henry  Howard,  Joseph  Sco- 
field,  Moses  Roberts,  Halloway  Hayward,  a  constable, 
James  Gillis,  a  respectable  farmer,  John  Whitney,  Bur- 
rage  Smith,  Simeon  B.  Jewett,  an  attorney  and  counsel- 
lor at  law,  and  Willard  Eddy. 

The  preceding  details  bring  this  eventful  history  down  to 
the  close  of  February  ;  and  along  with  "  the  ides  of  March," 
came  fresh  disclosures  of  -deep  and  awakening  interest. 
There  was  a  bookbinder,  by  the  name  of  Richard  Howard,, 
alias  Clipperfield,  or  Chipperfield,  a  foreigner,  who  had  been, 
strongly  suspected  of  a  participation  in  the  Morgan  outra- 
ges, but  down  to  this  period,  no  circumstances  had  trans- 
pired, sufficient  to  warrant  his  arrest.  He  was  known 
to  have  been  at  Batavia  at  the  commencement  of  the  out- 
rages, or  at  about  that  time ;  and  from  his  own  conversa- 
tions, and  admissions,  at  various  times,  it  was  by  many  sup- 
posed that  he  was  also  at  Fort  Niagara,  on  the  14th,  and 
probably  a  few  days  afterwards.  I  was  told  at  Buffalo,  in 
the  autumn  of  1829,  of  the  manner  in  which  some  of  the 
presumptive  testimony,  in  the  case  of  Howard,  was  obtain- 
ed ;  and  as  the  same  process  was  adopted  in  other  places, 
and  with  similar  success,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  note  it  in 
this  place,  as  an  evidence  of  the  deep  and  universal  interest 
which  pervaded  the  community  in  that  quarter,  upon  this 
subject,  and  of  the  persevering  efforts  of  people,  whether 
committee-men  or  not,  to  disclose,  if  possible,  the  hidden 
mystery  of  the  fate  of  Morgan.  With  this  view,  in  some 
villages,  the  inhabitants  were,  in  fact,  committees  of  the 
whole.  It  was  so  in  Buffalo ;  and  many  of  its  citizens  were 
continually  provided  with  pencils  and  paper,  to  note  down 
every  word,  hint,  or  incidental  remark,  which  they  might 
hear  in  the  course  of  the  day,  bearing  upon  the  matter  up- 
permost in  their  thoughts  ;  and  with  these  memoranda  they 
were  wont  to  meet  in  the  evenings,  for  a  comparisoa  of 


LETTER  XXII.  235 

Tiotes.  These  notes  not  unfrequently  reflected  light  upon 
each  other,  and  in  the  case  of  Howard,  had  afibrded  almost 
sufficient  matter  to  authorise  an  arrest.  But  an  affidavit 
was  now  received  by  the  committee  at  Batavia,  which  left 
no  further  doubt  of  the  propriety  of  such  a  procedure.  It 
was  the  deposition  of  John  Mann,  then  of  Buffalo,  stating, 
that  in  the  latter  part  of  the  preceding  month  of  August,  or 
early  in  September,  and  a  few  days  previously  to  the  at- 
tempt to  burn  Miller's  office,  in  Batavia,  he  took  a  ride  with 
the  said  Howard.  While  they  were  riding,  Howard  appli- 
ed to  the  deponent  to  procure  for  him  a  keg  of  turpentine — 
avowing  that  he  wished  to  obtain  it  in  order  to  "  switch" 
Miller's  office  therewith,  it  being  his  determination  to  burn 
that  office,  and  thus  prevent  the  publication  of  a  book  re- 
lating to  Freemasonry.  Mann  declined  purchasing  the 
tirticle,  for  the  want  of  money,  as  he  alledged  to  the  appli- 
cant. Sometime  afterwards,  subsequently  to  the  attempt 
upon  the  office,  (the  deponent  proceeded  to  say,)  Howard  in- 
formed him  that  he  did  make  the  attempt.  Having  procur- 
ed the  turpentine,  and  purchased  a  broom  at  a  store  a  short 
distance  west  of  Batavia,  with  which  to  spread  the  combus- 
tible liquid,  he  set  fire  to  it  by  means  of  a  dark  lanthern,  and 
as  the  fire  blazed  up,  he  fled.  Some  person,  as  he  supposed, 
followed  him,  but  he  turned  upon  him,  and,  dashing  the  lan- 
thern in  his  face,  succeeded  in  effecting  his  retreat.  These 
details,  furnished  under  oath  by  Mr.  Mann,  corresponded 
so  exactly  with  the  circumstances  under  which  the  fire  must 
have  been  kindled ;  the  walls  having  been  swabbed  with 
turpentine,  and  the  dark  lanthern  found  near  by ;  that  an 
officer  was  forthwith  dispatched  to  Buffalo,  for  the  purpose 
of  arresting  the  incendiary.  But  the  messenger  was  direct- 
ed to  consult  with  some  confidential  friends  at  Buffalo  in  the 
first  instance,  and  be  governed  by  their  advice.  After  a 
private  consultation,  it  was  determined  not  to  arrest  How- 
ard, for  reasons  with  which  I  am  not  acquainted.     It  was 


236  LETTER  XXII, 

believed  by  them,  however,  that  he  would  not  leave  the 
place,  but  would  be  forthcoming  at  any  after-time  when  he 
might  be  wanted — and  the  messenger  thereupon  returned  to 
Batavia ; — such  precautionary  measures  having  been  taken 
at  Buffalo,  as  it  was  supposed  would  prevent  Howard  from 
knowing  that  he  was  suspected.  Other  information  having 
been  received  by  the  committee,  a  messenger  was  a  second 
time  despatched  to  Buffalo ;  but  Howard  had  suddenly  disap- 
peared. A  second  deposition  was  now  spontaneously  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  Mann,  of  a  yet  darker  character,  going  to 
confirm  the  suspicion,  not  only  that  a  dreadful  alternative 
had  been  adopted  by  the  conspirators,  at  once  to  silence 
Morgan  and  the  story  of  his  wrongs,  but  that  Howard  had 
been  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  tragedy.  Mr.  Mann,  in  this 
second  deposition  testified,  substantially,  that  at  about  the 
time  he  heard  of  the  abduction,  Howard  informed  him 
that  Morgan  had  been  taken  to  Fort  Niagara,  and  impri- 
soned :  that  those  with  him,  [Morgan,]  had  drawn  lots,  to 
decide  who  should  execute  his  masonic  penalty  upon  him  ; 
and  that  the  lot  had  fallen  upon  him,  the  said  Howard.  Ac- 
cording to  the  deposition,  Howard  appeared  to  be  much 
distressed  about  it,  but  seemed  to  think  that  he  had  only 
performed  his  masonic  duty.  Howard  held  several  subse- 
quent conversations  with  the  deponent  upon  the  subject ; 
but  although  he  gave  him  to  understand  that  the  penalty  had 
been  executed,  he  never  afterwards  spoke  of  his  own  agen- 
cy in  the  transaction.  Mr.  Mann  himself  stated  that  he 
had  felt  unpleasantly  in  keeping  such  a  secret ;  and  that, 
finally,  after  advising  with  his  friends,  he  had  determined  to 
make  the  disclosure. 

These  depositions  were  of  a  startling  character ;  but,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  flight  of  Howard,  from  the  eccentric  tem- 
perament of  Mr.  Mann,  who  was  well  known  to  us  in  this 
city,  they  would  not,  unsupported,  have  made  a  very  deep 
impression  here.    Mr.  Mann,  originally  a  blacksmith,  had 


LETTER  XXII.  237 

relinquished  the  trade,  and  after  a  regular  course  of  study- 
been  admitted  to  the  bar  in  this  city.  Not  succeeding,  how- 
ever, in  the  profession,  he  retired  to  the  country,  and  resum- 
ed his  early  occupation.  I  knew  him  very  well,  in  1820- 
'21.  Soon  after  he  made  these  depositions,  he  became 
positively  insane,  and  in  a  few  months  afterwards,  died 
a  raving  maniac.  His  unfortunate  end  threw  still  more 
doubt  upon  the  truth  of  his  statements,  as  it  is  by  no  means 
an  unusual  occurrence  for  those  whose  minds  are  diseased, 
to  fancy  their  best  friends,  or  even  themselves,  to  be  guilty 
of  the  blackest  and  bloodiest  crimes,  but  of  which  they  are 
perfectly  innocent.  In  process  of  time,  however,  circum- 
stances enough  have  been  revealed,  to  prove,  very  satisfac- 
torily, that,  even  if  he  were  crazy,  so  far  as  Howard  was 
concerned,  there  was  certainly  some  "  method  in  his  mad- 
"  ness."  Nothing  further  has  ever  been  heard  of  Howard, 
except  that  on  fleeing  from  the  west,  he  came  to  this  city, 
where  he  had  before  been  employed  as  a  journeyman  book- 
binder. It  was  on  or  about  the  10th  of  March,  1827,  that  he 
absconded  from  Buffalo.  In  March,  1829,  a  man  named 
Avery  Allyn  made  an  affidavit  in  this  city,  setting  forth, 
among  other  things,  that  in  March,  1828,  he  attended  an 
encampment  of  Knights  Templars  at  St.  John's  Hall,  for 
the  purpose  of  perfecting  himself  in  the  higher  degrees ; 
that  during  the  evening,  the  Templar  who  officiated  as 
Prelate,  stated  to  him  that  they  were  certain  of  Morgan's 
death ;  that  the  person  who  had  executed  the  penalty  of  his 
obligation  upon  him,  had  been  in  that  encampment,  and  con- 
fessed himself  to  have  been  the  one  who  gave  him  the  fatal 
blow.  Another  Templar,  during  the  same  evening,  made 
a  corroborating  statement  to  Allyn  ; — and  both  avowed  that 
after  consultations  upon  the  subject,  they  had  furnished  the 
man  money,  and  sent  him  to  Europe.  Allyn  admits  that  he 
himself  thought  it  was  all  right  at  that  time,  and  for  a  con- 
siderable time  afterwards. 


238  LETTER  XXII. 

When  this  deposition  appeared  in  an  Anti-masonic  paper, 
which  fretted  its  hour  upon  the  stage  in  this  city,  and  soon 
departed,  I  was  exceedingly  shocked.  I  had  not  beheved, 
however  wickedly  a  portion  of  the  fraternity  had  conducted 
in  the  west,  that  the  Masons  of  this  city,  or  any  portion  of 
them,  had  been  cognizant  of  the  Morgan  business,  either  ac- 
tively or  passively,  or  in  any  manner  consenting  thereto. 
The  affidavit  was  so  full,  explicit,  and  circumstantial,  that 
it  wore  the  appearance  of  truth ;  and  yet,  the  fact,  that,  by 
his  own  showing,  the  author  had  acceded  to  the  propriety 
of  the  course  of  the  Masons  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  and 
had  concealed  this  horrible  truth  for  the  space  of  more  than 
a  year,  added  to  certain  other  unfavorable  circumstances 
which  it  is  needless  to  mention,  conspired,  altogether,  to 
make  me  question  his  veracity.  He  had,  moreover,  incul- 
pated a  gentleman  in  his  statement,  who,  before  ^nd  after, 
wards,  I  had  the  strongest  reasons  for  believing  as  innocent 
of  all  knowledge  or  participation  in  the  affair,  as  I  am  my- 
self. Still,  I  was  determined  diligently  to  investigate  the 
matter ;  with  which  view,  I  devoted  a  large  portion  of  each 
day  for  a  week,  and  entered  upon  a  thorough  course  of  exami- 
nation and  inquiry.  The  result  then  was,  a  full  and  entire 
belief,  that  not  one  word  of  Allyn's  statement  was  true  ;  and 
so  I  have  expressed  myself  times  almost  without  number. 
But  since  my  present  investigations  were  commenced,  I 
have  satisfied  myself  that  I  was  unable  to  reach  the  facts 
of  the  case  ;  and  that,  however  Allyn  might  have  been  mis- 
taken in  some  of  his  details,  and  as  to  the  identity  of  the 
gentleman  to  whom  I  have  alluded,  there  was  yet  essential 
truth  in  his  story.  I  have  recently  been  informed,  in  a  man- 
ner which  leaves  not  a  particle  of  doubt  upon  my  own  mind, 
that  Howard  was  in  this  city,  at  or  about  the  time  mention- 
ed. I  believe  that  when  he  fled  from  Buffalo,  he  proceeded 
aiong  the  shore  of  the  lake  to  the  village  of  Erie ;  thence 
through  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  to  Baltimore ;  that,  on 


LETTER  XXIII.  2S9 

his  arrival  there,  he  engaged  a  passage  on  board  of  a  ship 
for  a  foreign  port ; — that  he  was  closely  pursued ; — that  on 
proceeding  from  his  hotel  to  the  ship,  then  about  getting  un- 
der way,  he  espied  his  pursuer  on  the  deck  of  the  ship  be- 
fore he  had  quite  reached  it ; — that  he  instantly  changed  his 
direction,  unperceived,  directing  the  porter  to  take  his  bag- 
gage away,  as  he  had  made  a  mistake  as  to  the  dock ; — that 
he  jumped  on  board  of  a  steam-boat,  and  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Philadelphia,  where  he  consulted  a  lawyer.  Thence  he 
came  to  this  city.  I  believe  that  he  was  at  St,  John's  Hall ; — 
that  some  unworthy  Masons  of  this  city, — but  who  they 
are,  I  know  not, — did  cherish  and  provide  for  him,  knowing 
his  situation  and  his  crime.  I  believe,  further,  that  he  was 
taken  across  to  Long  Island,  by  the  aid  of  his  masonic  friends 
here,  and  finally  put  on  board  of  a  packet-ship,  bound  for 
England,  from  the  lower  extremity  of  Long  Island,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  harbour  at  Sandy  Hook. 

I  am,  sir,  very  sincerely  yours^ 


LETTER    XXIII. 

New- York,  Feb.  22,  1832. 
Sir, 

Gov.  Clinton  had  written  to  Mr,  Talbot,  chairman  of 
the  Batavia  committee,  on  the  7th  of  February,  expressing 
his  surprise  that  of  late  he  had  heard  nothing  from  him. 
He  mentioned  rumors  of  further  important  disclosures- 
which  were  said  to  have  been  made,  and  urged  him  to  fur- 
nish all  the  authentic  intelligence  upon  the  subject  that 
could  be  obtained,  desiring  also  to  know  the  views  of  the 
committee  respecting  any  further  measures  that  ought  to  be 
adopted  for  the  discovery  and  punishment  of  the  offendersv 
Mr.  Talbot,  in  behalf  of  the  Batavia  committee,  replied 
to  the  above-mentioned  letter  on  the  1st  of  March.     In  this 


240  LETTER  XXIII. 

reply  were  enclosed  the  depositions  of  Messrs.  Trumbull 
Carey,  Timothy  Fitch,  and  Hinman  Hoi  den,  testifying  to 
the  discoveries  which  had  been  made  by  the  committee  of 
investigation  at  Lewiston,  of  which  they  were  members, 
affording  the  strong  reasons  for  believing  that  Morgan  had 
been  put  to  death,  which  we  have  already  seen,  and  direct- 
ly inculpating  Bruce,  the  sheriff  of  Niagara.  The  deposi- 
tion of  John  Mann,  the  substance  of  which  has  also  been 
given,  was  enclosed  in  this  communication  from  Mr.  Tal- 
bot, accompanied,  however,  by  extracts  from  a  letter  from 
a  professional  gentleman  in  Buffalo,  who  was  consulted  in 
the  premises,  and  who  seemed  exceedingly  reluctant  to  be- 
lieve in  the  guilt  of  Howard,  at  the  same  time  bearing 
strong  testimony  to  his  integrity  and  industry,  and  the 
general  excellence  of  his  character. 

To  this  letter  Gov.  Clinton  replied  on  the  7th  of  March. 
It  was  then  understood  that  the  report  of  the  Lewiston 
convention,  was  in  a  forward  state  of  preparation.  In  re- 
ference to  this  statement,  the  Governor,  in  his  answer,  which 
was  addressed  to  Mr.  Talbot,  remarked  : — "  As  soon  as 
"  the  publication  of  the  Lewiston  convention  appears,  I  will 
"  come  to  a  definitive  resolution  as  to  the  course  to  be  pur- 
"  sued  by  me.  I  wish  you  would  expedite  this  measure  as 
"  far  as  is  in  your  power.  As  the  next  step  on  my  part 
"  may  involve  important  consequences,  I  hope  to  have  be- 
"  fore  me  all  the  light  that  can  be  furnished.  Will  you  also 
"  favor  me  as  soon  as  possible  with  the  result  of  the  BufFa- 
•*Io  investigation?" 

The  letter  from  which  the  preceding  quotation  is  made, 
was  followed  by  another  of  which  the  annexed  is  a  copy: — 

"  Albany,  Uth  March,  1827. 
"  Sir, 

"  In  reviewing  my  letter  to  you  of  the  7th  of  March 
instant,  I  think  it  proper  to  avoid  all  ambiguity,  by  stating^ 


LETTER  XXIIl.  241 

explicitly,  that  immediate  measures  ought  to  be  adopted  for 
proving  and  testing  the  allegations  contained  in  an  affidavit 
respecting  a  person  criminated  at  Buffalo. 

"  In  the  affidavit  of  Messrs.  Carey,  Holden,  and  Fitch, 
it  is  stated  that  the  sheriff  of  Niagara  county,  was  concern- 
ed in  the  abduction  of  Morgan.  I  wish  this  charge  to  as- 
sume a  specific  shape,  and  to  be  accompanied  by  all  the  ev- 
idence that  can  be  produced,  in  order  that  he  may  have  a 
hearing,  and,  if  guilty,  be  ejected  from  office. 

"  I  should  be  gratified  in  knowing  whether  any  exposi- 
tion of  this  afiair  is  to  be  made  by  the  Lewiston  convention, 
or  any  other  body  of  men.     As  most  of  the  information  is 

said  to  emanate  from  Dr.  T ■,  it  would  be  important 

to  have  his  affidavit,  and  such  testimony  as  can  be  adduced 
to  support  his  statement  and  character, — both  of  which  have 
been  seriously  impeached. 

"  I  have  only  to  add,  that  I  am  determined  to  use  every 
means  in  my  power,  to  develope  all  the  mysterious  pro- 
ceedings connected  with  the  ab.duction  of  Morgan,  and  to 
bring  the  offenders  to  condign  punishment.  Sooner  or  la- 
ter this  will  in  all  probability  be  accomplished ;  but  the 
sooner  it  is  done,  the  better ;  and  I  rely  upon  your  continu- 
ed and  faithful  co-operation  as  good  citizens,  and  useful 
members  of  society. 

"  I  am,  &c. 

«  DE  WITT  CLINTON. 

«  Theodore  F.  Talbot,  Esq." 

On  the  17th  of  March,  Governor  Clinton  spontaneously 
communicated  a  special  message  to  the  assembly,  in  the 
following  words ; — "  Gentlemen :  The  abduction  of  William 
"  Morgan  being  an  act  of  unprecedented  violence,  has  justly 
"  excited  unequivocal  reprobation ;  and  the  apprehensions 
"  which  are  entertained  of  his  fate,  have  produced  general 

*'  alarm  and  anxiety.      Understanding  that  this  subject  is 

31 


242  LETTER  XXIHo 

♦*  under  the  consideration  of  your  honorable  body,  I  have 
"  thought  it  proper  to  communicate  to  you  all  the  informa- 
"  tion  in  my  power  respecting  it ;  and  this  I  should  have 
**  done  before,  had  I  not  been  apprehensive  that  a  premature 
"  disclosure  might  have  interfered  with  pending  investiga- 
"  tions.  If  any  future  intelligence  of  importance  should  be 
"  received,  I  shall  not  fail  to  communicate  it."  Accompa- 
nying this  message  were  a  considerable  number  of  papers^ 
comprising  copies  of  the  correspondence  which  had  taken 
place  between  his  excellency  and  the  western  committees,, 
together  with  a  variety  of  other  documents  relating  to  the 
subject  of  the  outrage,  and  the  several  proclamations  already 
noted.  The  message  and  documents  were  referred  to  the 
committee  of  the  assembly  on  courts  of  justice,  to  which 
had  previously  been  referred  sundry  petitions  and  memorials 
of  the  people  on  the  same  subject. 

Two  days  afterwards,  viz.  on  the  19th  of  March,  his  ex- 
cellency  issued  his  third  proclamation,  by  which  an  increas- 
ed and  specific  reward  of  ojie  thousand  dollars  was  offered 
to  any  person  who  should  restore  Morgan  to  his  family,  if 
livings  or  discover  and  bring  to  punishment  his  murderers,  if 
dead ; — and  a  free  pardon  was  tendered  to  any  one  of  the 
accomplices  of  the  crime,  who  should  make  a  full  discovery 
of  the  offender  or  offenders.* 

At  the  time  this  proclamation  was  issued,  a  delegation 
from  the  western  committees  was  again  on  a  visit  to  Lewis- 
ton  and  Fort  Niagara,  foUowring  up  the  investigations  that 
had  formerly  been  made,  but  as  yet  with  no  decisive  re- 
sults. A  number  of  additional  depositions  were  collected 
by  this  committee,  and  a  variety  of  facts  and  circumstances 
elicited,  strengthening  the  former  conviction,  that  Morgan 
had  been  brought  to,  and  imprisoned  in,  the  fort,  and  that 
there  were  many  individuals  implicated  in  this  part  of  the 

*  See  Fac  simile,  in  tlie  Aj>i>cndix.. 


LETTER  xxni.  243 

mysterious  transaction.  Among  the  depositions  so  collect- 
ed, was  one  from  a  man  named  Paul  Mosher,  to  whom  Fox 
had  told  the  circumstances  of  his  night  journey  from  Youngs- 
town.  The  story  of  Fox,  as  related  on  the  morning  of  Sep- 
tember 14,  was  widely  different  from  his  testimony  on  the 
trial  of  Cheseboro  and  others.  He  at  first  informed  Mosher, 
when  he  had  received  no  caution  of  concealment,  that  there 
was  a  man  gsigged  and  bound  in  the  carriage ;  and  he 
thought  he  had  heard  him  called  Morgan.  But  Mosher 
also  swore,  not  only  to  the  threat  of  Fox's  employer,  that  he 
should  lose  his  place  if  he  was  not  silent,  but  that  a  short  time 
afterwards.  Fox  was  made  a  Mason  at  Lewiston,  for  which 
purpose,  a  special  lodge  was  called.  In  January  following, 
when  interrogated  in  court,  as  it  has  been  shown.  Fox  swore 
that  he  heard  nothing  of  Morgan,  nor  did  he  see  any  force  ap- 
plied to  any  one  whom  he  took  to  Youngstown.  The  em- 
ployer of  Fox  had  likewise  afforded  other  evidence  that 
some  transaction  had  taken  place  that  was  wrong.  He  had 
been  heard  to  speak  of  sending  a  man  down  to  the  fort,  as 
there  was  trouble ;  he  had  said,  "  that  another  man  must  be 
♦*  smuggled  away,  to  blind  the  transaction ;"  and  on  the 
morning  after  he  had  spoken  of  the  trouble  at  the  fort,  he 
had  said,  "  he  guessed  that  all  was  still  enough."  Another 
deposition  was  obtained  from  a  Mr.  Tryon,  who  had  been 
at  a  ball  at  Lewiston,  on  the  night  of  the  14th  of  Septem- 
ber, after  the  installation.  As  he  was  proceeding  towards 
Youngstown,  between  three  and  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
it  being  a  clear  moonlight  night,  he  met  five  men  walking 
from  the  direction  of  Youngstown,  towards  that  of  Lewis- 
ton,  viz.  Timothy  Shaw,  Samuel  Chubbuck,  Gen.  P.  Whit- 
ney, James  L.  Barton,  (the  employer  of  Fox,)  and  Noah 
Beach.  Such  a  night- walk,  for  such  persons, — for  they  were 
all  men  of  standing  in  the  community, — was  unusual.  The 
committee  also  obtained,  at  the  same  time,  a  deposition  of 
Edward  Giddings,  the  former  keeper  of  the  fort,  and  the 


244  LETTER  XXIII. 

personage  who  has  subsequently  figured  so  conspicuously 
in  the  Morgan  trials.  But  this  document  is  an  exceedingly 
cautious  one.  The  committee  had  made  another  close  in- 
spection of  the  fort  and  magazine.  Giddings,  at  this  time, 
occupied  a  small  ferry-house,  near  the  fort,  directly  on  tlie 
bank  of  the  river,  and  sometimes  entertained  travellers. 
He  had  charge  of  the  fort  for  several  months  previously  to 
the  1st  of  August,  1826,  on  which  day  he  left  it,  and  gave 
up  the  key.  He  had  left  the  magazine  in  perfect  order.  It 
was  now  deranged,  and  there  were  many  decisive  evidences, 
not  only  that  it  had  been  occupied,  but  that  somebody  had 
been  confined  therein ;  for  the  braces  which  had  been  ap- 
plied to  the  door,  and  the  marks  of  violence  within,  were 
very  distinct  and  convincing.  Giddings  made  full  expla- 
nations as  to  the  order  in  which  he  had  left  every  thing  in 
the  fort  and  magazine  on  the  first  of  August ;  but  pretend- 
ed that  he  could  not  account  for  the  derangement  of  the  va- 
rious fixtures,  and  the  appearances  indicating  that  the  ma- 
gazine had  been  occupied  by  some  one  held  in  durance. 
When  distinctly  asked,  however,  whether  he  had  not  been 
called  up  by  Bruce  and  Colonel  King,  on  the  night  of  Sep- 
tember 13th,  he  declined  answering  the  question ;  but  added, 
that  should  he  be  legally  called  upon,  he  would  attest  to  all 
he  knew.  A  clue  to  the  fact  indicated  by  the  question  thus 
put,  was  afforded  in  the  following  manner : — "  On  the  morn- 
**  ing  of  the  14th  of  September,  a  party  of  ladies  and  gen- 
*'  tlemen  proceeded  in  a  steam-boat  from  Youngstown  to 
♦♦  Lewiston,  to  attend  the  installation  so  repeatedly  spoken 
»*  of.  Bruce  and  King  were  on  board,  and,  among  other  la- 
♦*  dies,  was  Mrs.  Giddings.  During  the  passage,  one  of  the 
»^  ladies  familiarly  asked,  what  he  meant  by  going  about  at 
"  nights,  and  disturbing  people,  and  calling  up  her  hus- 
*'  band" — "  Yes,"  observed  Mrs.  Giddings,  «  they  came  too, 
**  and  routed  up  my  jioor  husband." 


LETTER  XXIII.  245 

Many  other  circumstances,  all  tending  to  the  same  con- 
clusion, were  elicited  at  this  time,  by  the  committee.  There 
liad  previously  been  a  strong  suspicion  that  Morgan  had 
been  taken  to  the  house  of  a  prominent  man  at  Newark,  a 
member  of  the  provincial   parliament  of  Upper  Canada. 
The  imputation  became  so  annoying  to  him,  that  he  pub- 
lished a  letter,  intending  it  to  go  forth  as  an  entire  contra- 
diction ;  but  it  was  so  equivocal  and  evasive,  as  to  excite 
still  stronger  suspicions  against  him.     The  committee,  dur- 
ing this  examination,  arrived  at  all  but  positive  testimony, 
that,  although  Morgan  had  not  been  taken  to  his  house  on 
the  night  of  September  13,  yet  that  the  gentleman  referred 
to  had  been  called  up  late  at  night,  and  had  seen  Morgan 
on  the  Canada  shore.     They  also  satisfied  themselves,  from 
testimony  too  strong  to  be  resisted,  that  Morgan  had  been 
taken  to  the  Masons  at  Newark,  who  refused  to  receive  him, 
and  that  he  had  been  thence  taken  back  again  to  the  American 
shore.     Here  their  direct  and  positive  testimony  ended, 
i  But  in  addition  to  these  circumstances,  and  many  others 
which  it  would  be  too  tedious  to  enumerate  in  this  place,  the 
committee  obtained  a  deposition  from  a  medical  gentle- 
man of  Upper  Canada,  a  Mason,  who  had  been  informed 
by  a  brother  Mason,  that  Morgan  had  been  thus  brought 
across  the  frontier,  refused,  and  sent  back ;  and  that  he 
had  subsequently  been  put  to  death  at  Fort  Niagara,  and 
his  body  sunk  in  the  river.     The  informant  of  this  gentle- 
man justified  the  deed,  as   being  no  more  than  was  due  to 
the  expositor  of  the  secrets  of  the  order.     The  tale  was  re- 
peated to  this  gentleman,  in  December  following  the  out- 
rage, together  with  the  particulars  of  the  execution,  as  men- 
tioned in  the  letter  giving  an  account  of  tlie  first  meeting 
of  the  committee  at  Niagara.     The  last  informant,  on  being 
interrogated  as  to  the  state  of  mind  of  those  who  had  been 
guilty  of  putting  him  to  death,  stated  that  they  were  much 
troubled ;  one  of  them  had  nearly  gone  crazy  ;  and  that 


246  LETTER  xxiir. 

others  had  declared  they  would  willingly  deliver  up  every 
thing  they  had,  could  they  only  bring  Morgan  back.  It 
was  also  added  that  the  execution  had  been  performed 
agreeably  to  directions  from  the  General  Grand  Chapter,  tlie 
funds  of  wliich  were  to  be  used  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
fines,  &c.,  should  they  be  discovered  and  prosecuted.  A 
member  of  the  Genesee  Committee,  happening  to  be  at 
Lockport,  had  been  informed  while  there,  by  a  respectable 
inhabitant  of  Niagara  county,  "  that  he  had  been  for  some 
"  time  past  working  on  the  Well  and  Canal — that  a  friend, 
"  who  resided  in  Canada,  near  the  canal,  had  a  few  days 
"  before  called  on  him,  and  exacted  a  promise  from  him  to 
"  go  to  Batavia,  and  communicate  to  the  committee  that 
"  Morgan  had  been  taken  to  Fort  Niagara,  in  the  night,  put 
"  into  the  fort,  and  detained  there  three  or  four  days — that 
"  they  tried  to  get  the  Masons  on  the  Canada  side  to  take 
"  him,  but  they  refused — that  afterwards  two  ruffians  had 
"  taken  him  out,  cut  his  throat,  and  tied  his  body  to  a 
"  rope  and  stone,  and  thrown  it  into  the  lake — that  he  had 
"  been  told  so  by  Masons,  of  which  society  he  was  a  mem- 
"  ber,  and  that  he  conscientiously  believed  it — that  his  name 
"  must  not  be  used,  or  given  in ;  for  if  it  was  known  that  he 
"  had  informed  he  should  fare  no  better."  All  this,  howe- 
ver, was  but  circumstantial  and  hearsay  evidence,  and  would 
be  wholly  insufficient  to  convict  of  any  capital  offence,  even 
should  attempts  be  made  to  obtain  indictments.  But  as 
yet,  however  strong  the  suspicion,  there  was  no  proof  to 
establish  the  commission  of  any  crime,  beyond  that  of  the 
.original  abduction.  Nor,  after  months  of  investigation,  had 
it  been  ascertained  that  any  thing  farther  respecting 
Morgan's  person  could  be  proved,  than  his  getting  into  the 
carriage  at  Canandaigua.  All  else  was  circumstance,  con- 
jecture, and  mystery  ;  so  skilfully  had  their  plans  been  de- 
vised ;  so  exactly  executed  ;  and  the  secret  so  faithfully 
kept. 


LETTER  XXIII.  247 

But  the  conspirators  took  very  efficient  measures  for  es- 
caping indictments  even  for  the  minor  ofience  of  the  ab- 
duction.    The  parties  suspected   disappeared;   witnesses 
were  spirited  away  ;  and  when  attempts  were  made  to  pro- 
cure indictments,  witnesses  often  decKned  to  testify,  alledg- 
ing  that  they  could  not  do  so  without  criminating  them- 
selves.    I  have  already  spoken  of  the  first  grand  jury,  af- 
ter the  abduction,  summoned  by  Bruce,  for  the  county  of 
Niagara,  of  which  he  was  sheriff.     In  like  manner,  each 
successive  grand  jury  summoned  by  him,  or  under  his  or- 
ders, while  he  continued  in  the  sheriffalty,  was  composed,  a 
strong  majority  at  least,  of  Masons  ;  and  the  public  prose- 
cutor of  that  county  was  also  a  Mason,  who  knew  all  about 
the  affair.     Hiram  B.  Hopkins,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  and 
one  of  Bruce's  deputies,  has  declared  that  he  had  directions 
in  summoning  the  grand  jurors,  to  select  at   least  three- 
fourths  Masons — Bruce  telling  him  at  the  same  time,  that 
it  would  not  do  to  have  all  Masons,  as  the  device  would  oc- 
casion suspicion.     Hopkins  states  that  when  he  had  inquired 
of  them  how  they  expected  in  the  end  to  escape  detection 
and  punishment,  they  always  assured  him  they  were  in  no 
danger,  as  they  would  have  to  deal  only  with  Masons.     At 
the  April  General  Sessions  of  Niagara  county,  1827,  of 
twenty-one  persons  present  on  the  grand  jury,  thirteen  were 
Masons,  of  whom  one  was  subsequently  found  to  be  an  im- 
portant witness,  and  another  was  afterwards  himself  indict- 
ed as  an  actor  in  the  conspiracy.     It  was  before  this  jury 
that  complaint  was  made  against  Bruce,  as  one  of  the  con- 
spirators ;  and  a  scene  of  corruption  took  place  on  this  ex- 
amination, unsurpassed,  probably,  in  the  annals  of  judicial 
iniquity  ;  too  flagrant,  indeed,  almost,  for  belief.    Every  pos- 
sible effort  was  made  by  the  jury,  to  shield  Bruce.     Another 
witness  desired  to  be  excused  from  giving  evidence,  because 
he  was  a  poor  man,  and  the  fact  of  his  giving  testimony,  he 
said,  would  ruin  him.     He  was  excused  !     One  witness,  not- 


248  letteh  xxiii. 

withstanding  all  the  cunning  in  putting  the  questions,  actu- 
ally testified  to  Bruce's  own  acknowledgement  of  having 
had  an  agency  in  carrying  Morgan  away.  Questions,  which 
had  been  prepared  carefully  beforehand,  in  writing,  and 
furnished  to  members  of  the  jury,  and  which  it  was  believed 
would  elicit  the  truth,  were  not  allowed  to  be  put  by  the 
majority.  The  revelation  before  referred  to,  which  was 
made  to  a  respectable  man  when  at  work  upon  the  Welland 
Canal,  was  testified  to  before  this  grand  jury.  One  juror 
insisted  that  the  witness  should  name  the  person  who  gave 
him  this  information,  but  he  refused,  and  nearly,  if  not  quite 
all  the  other  jurors  present,  sustained  the  witness  in  his  refu- 
sal, and  he  was  allowed  to  retire  without  answering  the 
question.  Jt  has  also  been  stated,  without  contradiction,  so 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  "  that  a  series  of  ques- 
"  tions,  to  be  propounded  to  the  witness,  had  been  so  framed, 
"  that  the  witnesses  could  answer  without  eliciting  any  dan- 
"  gerous  information.  This  must  have  been  the  case,  or  real 
"  perjury  must  have  been  repeatedly  committed,  on  the  in- 
"  vestigation  before  them.  All  the  important  witnesses,  to 
"  trace  the  whole  abduction  from  Rochester  to  Fort  Niagara, 
"  were  examined  before  this  grand  jury ;  the  same  witnesses, 
"  upon  whose  testimony,  bills  were  afterwards  found  in  other 
"  cases,  and  convictions  had.  Thirteen  of  the  witnesses  ex- 
"  amined  before  this  grand  jury,  were  subsequently  indicted, 
"  not  one  of  whom  protected  himself  on  the  examination, 
"  on  the  ground  that  he  should  criminate  himself.  Three  of 
"  them,  were  afterwards  shown  by  the  testimony  of  Eli 
"  Bruce  himself,  to  have  had  a  criminal  agency  in  the  ab- 
"  duction.  Edward  Giddings,  in  his  published '  Statement  of 
"*  Facts,'  says  he  was  subpoenaed  before  this  grand  jury, 
"  which  much  alarmed  those  who  were  implicated.  One  of 
"  them  informed  Giddings  that  he  would  go  and  see  the  fore- 
"  man,  and  state  to  liim  Giddings'  situation,  that  he  might 
'*  know  how  to  question  him,  so  that  hk  answers  might  not 


LETTER  XXIV.  249 

"  injure  others.  He  subsequently  informed  Giddings  that  he 
"  had  told  the  foreman  what  Giddings  knew  of  the  affair,  and 
"  that  the  foreman  would  put  no  question  but  what  Giddings 
"  could  safely  answer."  Nay,  more  than  all,  "  while  this 
"jury  was  in  session,  the  foreman  took  Eli  Bruce  privately 
"  into  a  side  room,  and  was  there  with  him  some  time.  And 
"  this  grand  jury,  so  far  from  finding  any  indictment  against 
"  Eli  Bruce,  or  any  other  person,  drew  up  a  presentment 
"  to  the  court,  that  they  had  discovered  nothing  which  would 
"authorise  them  to  find  a  bill  against  any  person,  and  also 
"  framed  and  sent  a  memorial  to  the  Governor,  in  which 
"  they  stated  that  there  was  not  a  shadow  of  testimony  im- 
"  plicating  Eli  Bruce,  as  guilty  of,  or  accessary  to,  the  ab- 
"  duction  of  Morgan,  with  the  exception  of  one  witness, 
"who  was  so  contradicted,  and  whose  general  reputation 
"  was  so  bad,  that  they  did  not  place  any  reliance  upon  it." 

This,  sir,  forms  but  a  single  chapter  of  the  deep  and 
wide-spread  iniquity  which  has  impeded  the  march  of  jus- 
tice in  relation  to  the  Morgan  conspiracy.  And  there  are 
more  to  come.  Is  there,  then,  sir,  let  me  again  ask,  any 
cause  for  special  wonder  that  the  people  should  have  been 
excited — strongly  and  fiercely  excited — while  such  trans- 
actions, under  the  pretext  of  a  due  administration  of  the 
law,  were  taking  place  under  their  own  eyes  I 

Accept,  sir,  the  assurances  of  my  respectful  considera- 
tion. 


LETTER    XXIV. 

New- York,  Feb.  25,  1832. 
Sir, 

It  was  on  the  Gth  of  March,  1827,  that  the  memorials 

of  the  Lewistou  convention,  and  others,  upon  the  subject  of 

32 


250  LETTER  XXIV. 

the  abduction  of  Morgan,  were  first  presented  to  the  House 
of  Assembly  of  the  New- York  Legislature.  The  prayer 
of  the  petitioners  was  for  the  enactment  of  more  efficient 
laws  for  the  punishment  of  the  crime  of  kidnapping  ;  for 
the  adoption  of  more  energetic  measures  for  discovering  the 
authors  of  the  outrage  complained  of;  and  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  special  commission,  or  tribunal  of  justice,  for  the 
trial  and  punishment  of  the  offenders.  The  memorials  were, 
in  the  first  instance,  referred  to  the  committee  on  courts  of 
justice,  but  subsequently  they  were  taken  from  that  com- 
mittee, and  entrusted  to  a  special  committee,  of  which  Mr. 
Granger,  of  Ontario,  was  chairman.  This  committee  made 
a  long  report  upon  the  subject,  on  the  4th  of  April.  After 
setting  forth,  briefly,  the  extraordinary  facts  of  the  case, 
and  examining  the  nature  of  the  testimony  by  which  they 
were  sustained,  the  committee  arrived  at  a  conclusion  un- 
favorable to  the  creation  of  a  special  tribunal  for  that  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  clothed  with  special  and  peculiar  powers 
for  investigating  the  transaction  submitted  to  their  conside- 
ration. They  did  propose,  however,  two  important  reso- 
lutions, the  first  of  which  authorised  and  empowered  the 
Governor  to  issue  his  proclamation,  oflTering  a  reward  of 
five  thousand  dollars,  for  the  discovery  of  the  said  William 
Morgan,  if  living  ;  and  the  like  sum  of  five  thousand  dol- 
lars, for  the  murderer  or  murderers  of  Morgan,  if  dead. 
The  second  resolution  proposed  the  appointment  of  a  joint 
committee  of  the  two  houses  of  the  legislature,  consisting 
of  two  members  of  the  Senate,  and  three  members  of  the 
Assembly,  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  visit  the  region  of 
the  excitement,  now  including  seven  counties,  with  power 
to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  to  inquire  into  the  facts  and 
circumstances  connected  with  the  abduction,  and  making  it 
their  duty  to  report  their  proceedings  to  the  next  succeeding 
legislature,  that  such  measures  might  afterwards  be  adopt- 
ed, as  the  liberty  and  safety  of  the  people  required.     The 


LETTER  XXIV.  251 

report  and  resolutions  were  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table  and 
be  printed. 

They  were  called  up  for  discussion  on  the  10th  of  April, 
and  underwent  a  long  debate.  Mr.  Granger  explained  the 
views  of  the  committee,  and  defended  the  report  with  dis- 
tinguished ability.  The  friends  of  the  report  were  opposed 
to  the  erection  of  any  new  legal  tribunal,  not  only  from  the 
intrinsic  difficulties  that  would  attend  such  a  measure ;  but 
from  a  belief  that  such  a  novel  court  would  tend  to  increase, 
rather  than  diminish,  the  excitement ;  but  it  was  believed 
that  the  appointment  of  a  special  committee  for  investigat- 
ing the  whole  matter,  clothed  with  the  power  of  the  legis- 
lature, would  inspire  the  people  with  confidence,  and  allay 
the  agitation  of  the  public  mind.  The  resolutions  were 
strongly  opposed  by  several  gentlemen,  among  the  foremost 
of  whom,  were,  Mr.  Bucklin,  of  Jefferson ;  Mr.  Moseley,  of 
Onondaga  ;  and  Gen.  Root,  of  Delaware.  The  leading  ob- 
jections were,  that  the  amount  of  money  proposed  to  be  of- 
fered as  a  reward,  would  open  the  tribunals  of  justice  in  the 
excited  region,  to  such  scenes  of  fraud  and  perjury,  stimula- 
ted by  cupidity,  and  pushed  on  by  the  frenzy  of  the  public 
mind,  as  would  jeopard  the  best  interests  of  the  people,  and 
involve  alike,  the  innocent  in  ruin  with  the  guilty.  It  was 
not  believed,  by  the  opponents  of  the  report,  that  the  case 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  the  laws ;  and  they  contended 
that  a  committee  of  the  legislature  might  as  well  be  sent 
in  pursuit  of  every  absconding  murderer,  as  in  search  of 
those  who  had  abducted  Morgan, — for,  as  yet,  there  was 
no  testimony  of  his  having  been  killed.  Neither  the  com- 
mittee in  the  report,  nor  did  its  chairman  in  opening  the 
debate,  make  any  allusion  to  the  institution  of  Freemasonry, 
as  having  been  the  cause  of  the  outrage,  and  the  conse- 
quent excitement.  But  the  institution  was  introduced  by 
the  opponents  of  the  report ;  and  Mr.  Bucklin  made  several 
statements  that  had  an  evident  effect  against  its  adoption. 


252  LETTER  XXIV. 

Being  himself  a  Mason,  Mr.  B.  stated,  as  an  evidence  of  the 
dangerous  extent  to  which  the  excitement  had  arisen,  that 
but  a  few  days  before,  a  gentleman  from  the  west,  under- 
standing that  he  was  one  of  the  order,  plainly  told  him  that 
he  must  of  course  know  all  about  the  Morgan  business ; 
whether  he  was  alive ;  and,  if  so,  where  he  was.  Mr.  B. 
likewise  commented  upon  the  inflammatory  and  violent  pro- 
ceedings of  the  public  meetings  at  the  west,  among  which 
had  been  several  assemblages  of  the  ladies,  who  had  resolved 
that  their  daughters  should  never  be  married  to  Freema- 
sons. He  further  stated,  that,  as  chairman  of  a  committee 
to  whom  the  subject  of  public  executions  had  been  referred, 
he  had  reported  a  bill,  directing  the  sentence  of  the  law,  in 
capital  cases,  to  be  carried  into  effect  in  private.  For  this 
report  he  was  directly  threatened,  by  letters  from  Batavia, 
the  writers  of  which  conceived  the  bill  to  be  a  project  for 
shielding  Freemasons  from  the  disgrace  of  being  hung  in 
public !  Mr.  Granger  strongly  deprecated  the  course  of  the 
debate.  The  committee  had  hoped  that  the  resolutions 
would  be  acted  upon  without  reference  to  the  character  or 
conduct  of  any  secret  association.  They  had  denounced 
none  :  they  had  spoken  of  the  transaction  as  a  violation  of 
the  rights  of  a  citizen,  owing  allegiance  to,  and  protected  by, 
the  government,  and  he  expressed  his  surprise  and  regret 
at  the  course  that  had  been  pursued  by  the  gentlemen  op- 
posed to  him.  Tlie  result  was  the  rejection  of  the  report, 
by  a  vote  of  74  to  23. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  however,  an  act  was  passed  mak- 
ing the  a])duction  or  kidnapping  of  any  person  felony,  which 
had  only  been  a  misdemeanor  before ;  and  the  punishment 
was  prescribed  to  be  imprisonment  in  the  state  prison  for  a 
term  of  not  exceeding  fourteen  years.  Thus  ends  the  le- 
gislative history  of  Anti-masonry  for  the  first  year. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  month  of  March,  the  storm 
raged  so  licrcely  against  the  fraternity,  that  a  few  of  its 


LETTER  XXIV.  253 

members  at  Batavia,  offered  a  reward  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, for  the  discovery  of  those  who  had  set  fire  to  Miller's 
office.  This  prodigious -effort  was  made  seven  months  af- 
ter the  transaction,  and  after  those  in  the  secret  very  well 
knew  that  the  offender  was  safe  from  arrest. 

A  grand  jury  assembled  again  in  Monroe  county,  in  this 
same  month  of  March.  A  majority  of  them  were  Masons, 
and  the  efforts  for  a  farther  investigation  of  the  conspiracy, 
were  so  faint,  that  no  indictments  were  found.  At  the 
Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  in  Niagara  county,  held  in 
April,  and  also  at  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  in  the  same 
county,  for  May,  grand  juries  were  assembled  ;  but  Bruce 
had  packed  them  with  large  majorities  of  Masons.  The 
conduct  of  the  April  grand  jury  has  already  been  noticed, 
in  anticipation.  Tliat  of  May  was  of  so  decidedly  a  ma- 
sonic character,  that  it  was  deemed  entirely  useless  to  make 
any  complaint  before  it. 

At  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  held  in  the  county 
of  Genesee,  in  April,  1827, — the  Hon.  John  Birdsall,  of  the 
eighth  Circuit,  presiding, — came  on  the  trial  of  Jesse 
French,  James  Hurlburt,  Roswell  Wilcox,  and  James  Gan- 
son,  who  had  been  indicted  in  October  of  the  year  before, 
for  the  outrage  upon  Col.  Miller.  French,  Wilcox,  and 
Hurlburt,  were  found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  close  con- 
finement in  the  county  jail  for  different  periods — viz.  French, 
the  officer,  as  it  will  be  recollected,  who  served  the  warrant 
under  color  of  which  Miller  had  been  carried  away, — was 
sentenced  for  one  year,  Wilcox  for  six  months,  and  Hurl- 
burt for  three.  The  whole  history  of  the  outrage,  as  elici- 
ted upon  this  trial,  corresponds,  with  great  exactness,  with 
the  account  given  in  a  former  letter.  It  appeared,  in  addi- 
tion to  what  I  have  tl  ;>rc  stated,  that  when  Miller  was  ta- 
ken into  the  lodge-room  in  the  stone-house  at  Stafford,  the 
door  was  "  tyled"  by  two  armed  men.  When  Johns  came 
in  with  a  drawn  sword,  he  advanced  in  a  threatening  man- 


254  LETTER  XXIV. 

ner  upon  Miller,  until,  after  expostulation,  he  appeared  to 
relent,  and  gave  the  faltering  reply  heretofore  mentioned. 
It  also  appeared  upon  this  trial,  that  the  money,  for  the  re- 
covery of  which  a  feigned  suit  had  been  commenced  in  thifi 
most  extraordinary  manner,  was  actually  pressed  upon 
Miller's  acceptance  by  Johns.  It  was  proved,  very  dis- 
tinctly, by  several  witnesses,  that  Ganson  was  regularly  ap- 
pointed the  captain,  or  leader  of  the  armed  mob  which  went 
to  Batavia  on  that  occasion ;  that  he  was  there  in  person ; 
was  also  with  them  in  Stafford,  where  they  halted  so  long ; 
and  likewise  at  Le  Roy,  where,  during  the  difficulties,  as 
formerly  related,  Miller  was  rescued,  and  taken  home  by 
his  friends.  It  was  also  satisfactorily  proved,  that  they  had 
no  design  of  carrying  Miller  to  the  magistrate,  but  were 
clearly  intent  on  taking  him,  to  use  their  own  language, 
"  where  Morgan  was/'  Mrs.  Morgan,  an  unimpeachable 
witness  on  the  trial,  testified  that  Ganson  informed  her  that 
he  knew  the  mob  was  going  to  Batavia.  On  her  return 
from  the  fruitless  mission  to  Canandaigua,  in  search  of  her 
husband,  Ganson  had  assured  her,  that  if  she  never  saw  her 
husband  again,  she  should  be  supported ;  he  said  he  was 
very  much  obliged  to  her  for  giving  up  the  papers,  adding, 
that  if  they  had  not  been  given  up.  Miller's  office  would 
have  been  torn  down.  It  had,  therefore,  saved  them  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  and  expense.  Miller,  he  declared,  deserved 
a  worse  fate  than  her  husband,  and  would  be  punished 
worse,  for  they  had  two  hundred  and  eighty  men  at  their 
command.  But,  notwithstanding  the  testimony  of  this  de- 
scription, and  the  indisputable  fact,  that  he  was  appointed 
the  leader  of  the  gang  in  the  lodge-room  at  Stafford,  before 
they  proceeded  for  Batavia,  Ganson  was  acquitted.  Although 
there  were  no  improper  practices  resorted  to,  either  with 
the  witnesses  or  jurors,  on  this  trial,  that  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  court,  yet  the  result  excited  more  attention, 
and  induced  more  suspicion,  from  the  ilict  of  the  acquittal 


LETTER  XXIVc  255 

of  the  man  who  was  known  and  proved  to  have  been  the 
captain  of  the  band,  and  the  main-spring  of  the  expedition, 
while  those  who  acted  a  subordinate  part,  were  convicted. 
As  to  the  witnesses  who  were  imphcated  more  or  less  in 
the  transaction,  there  was  the  prevarication  and  forgetful- 
ness  common  to  most  interested  witnesses,  and  ^^othing 
more.  Ganson,  however,  though  a  high  Mason,  was  a  man 
of  standing,  of  wealth,  and  of  influence.  Great  efforts  were 
made  by  his  counsel ;  and  the  presiding  judge  has  informed 
me,  that  although  his  acquittal  was  a  matter  of  surprise  to 
him,  yet  he  has  been  as  much  disappointed  in  the  verdicts 
of  juries,  both  before  and  since  that  trial.  Two  other  in- 
dictments were  found  against  Ganson,  at  the  same  term  of 
the  court, — one  for  a  conspiracy  with  Daniel  Johns  and 
George  Ketchum,  to  obtain  Morgan's  manuscripts,  or  print- 
ed sheets, — the  other  for  a  conspiracy  with  sixteen  others, 
to  destroy  Miller's  office, 

Not  the  least  remarkable  feature  of  the  Anti-masonic  ex- 
citement, was  the  successive  alternations  which  for  a  long 
time  took  place  in  the  public  sentiment.  I  do  not  speak, 
now,  of  the  public  feeling  in  the  disturbed  district,  for 
within  the  boundaries  of  that  territory,  enlarging  as  addi- 
tional towns  and  counties  caught  the  fever,  the  spirit,  once 
awakened,  was  much  the  same.  It  was  speedily  aroused 
to  the  highest  point  of  excitation,  when,  after  exhausting  it- 
self with  over-action,  it  settled  down  into  the  solemn  and 
deliberate  purpose  of  prosecuting  an  endless  war  against 
Masons  and  Masonry.  But  at  a  distance,  where  the  facts 
and  circumstances  appealed  to  the  judgments,  rather  than 
the  feelings,  of  men,  the  effects  were  different.  With  such, 
the  thousand  stories  set  afloat  by  those  interested  upon  both 
sides  at  the  west, — the  one  party  wishing  to  increase  and 
extend  the  excitement,  and  the  other  to  diminish  it,  the  per- 
plexities in  which  people  were  continually  involved,  were 
very  great.      The  Anti-masons,  or  rather  that  portion  of 


256  LETTER  XXIV. 

them  whose  chief  object  was  to  make  a  living  out  of  it, 
were  equally  ingenious  and  industrious  in  the  multiplication 
of  masonic  murders;  and  many  were  the  suicides,  long 
gone  by,  and  forgotten  by  every  body  save  the  coroners 
who  had  sat  upon  them,  or  the  editors  who  had  chronicled 
them,  that  were  now  raked  up  in  all  their  terrific  details, 
and  the  half-remembered  circumstances  so  warped  and  em- 
bellished, as  to  make  it  appear  at  least  possible  that  in  fact 
the  deceased  might  have  been  murdered  by  the  Masons. 
Stories  of  this  class  were  greedily  published,  and  as  greedily 
believed  by  thousands  of  people,  who  never  troubled  them- 
selves to  inquire  into  the  circumstances,  or  even  the  pro- 
babilities of  the  respective  cases.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Morgan  abductors  were  equally  active  in  distracting  the 
public  mind,  with  regard  to  the  absent  victim  of  their  ven- 
geance. 

The  reluctance  of  the  people  eastwardly  of  the  Cayuga 
bridge,  to  believe  the  worst  that  had  been  asserted,  was  very 
great ;  willing  ears  were  consequently  lent  to  every  tale, 
wearing  an  air  of  probability,  going  to  exculpate  the  accu- 
sed from  the  more  aggravated  part  of  the  accusations  under 
which  they  were  laboring,  if  no  more.  Various  accounts 
of  the  existence  of  Morgan,  were  coined  and  put  into  cir- 
culation, and  some  of  them  given  with  so  much  particulari- 
ty of  the  times,  places,  and  circumstances,  under  which  he  had 
actually  been  seen,  as  also  by  whom,  and  so  plausibly  told 
withal,  that  the  former  opinion,  viz :  that  Morgan  was  in 
fact  living,  and  only  keeping  out  of  sight  until  the  books 
could  be  sold,  was  extensively  revived  in  the  month  of  May. 
The  account  of  his  having  been  seen  somewhere  in  the  inte- 
rior of  Canada,  keeping  a  retail  grocery  concern,  though 
widely  circulated,  was  not  much  credited.  But  there  was 
one  statement  published  at  this  time,  which  I  am  free  to 
confess  greatly  staggered  my  own  behef  in  his  death.  It 
inust  be  n^.coIJccted  that  the  Lewiston  convention  had  not 


LETTER  XXIV.  257 

yet  put  forth  its  official  report,  as  digested  from  the  evidence 
they  had  obtained.  Bruce,  when  first  arrested,  and  brought 
before  a  magistrate,  in  December,  had  been  discharged,  be- 
cause it  did  not  appear,  from  the  evidence  adduced,  that 
any  such  person  as  Morgan  had  been  with  him.  The  trial 
of  Cheseboro,  had  not  traced  the  absentee  twenty  rods  from 
the  jail  of  Canandaigua  :  that  of  Ganson  and  others,  scarce- 
ly involved  the  name  of  Morgan,  as  Miller  only  was  direct- 
ly concerned  in  that  transaction  :  Mann,  who  had  made 
the  disclosures  respecting  Howard,  was  now  insane  :  other 
occasional  disclosures  from  the  Lewiston  committees  had 
fallen  into  disrepute.  All  the  attempts  to  procure  indict- 
ments in  Monroe  and  Niagara  counties,  where  the  suspi- 
sions  of  guilt  were  fastened  upon  certain  persons  the  strong- 
est, had  failed.  And  the  manner  in  which  those  grand  ju- 
ries had  been  summoned,  and  the  gross  violations  of  their 
duty,  in  shielding  the  persons  implicated,  by  preventing  the 
disclosure  of  facts,  and  thus  stopping  the  fountains  of  jus- 
tice, as  I  have  already  stated,  were  not  yet  known  to  us  in 
the  eastern  and  southern  sections  of  the  state.  Accustomed 
to  the  regular  and  harmonious  movement  of  all  the  machine- 
ry of  our  civil  and  criminal  courts,  and  the  steady  adminis- 
tration of  the  laws,  in  their  purity  and  their  might,  we 
could  not  suppose, — the  possibility  of  the  thing  was  not 
dreamed  of, — that  the  judges  and  magistracy  of  the  land 
could  be  thus  mocked,  and  the  sword  and  balances  of  Jus- 
tice herself,  snatched  from  her  hands,  by  the  primary 
inquests — the  grand  jurors  of  the  land — selected,  as  they 
had  ever  been,  and  were  yet  supposed  to  be,  from  the  most 
intelligent  and  respectable  yeomanry  of  the  country.  And 
when  the  accused  had  been  again  and  again  pronounced 
guiltless  by  these  preliminary  tribunals,  if  I  may  call  them 
such,  nothing  could  be  more  natural  and  proper  than  that 
we  should  again  pause  and  suspend  our  opinions.     It  was 

under  circumstances  like  these,  that  accounts,  apparently 

83 


258  LETTER  XXIV. 

well  authenticated,  reached  us  from  Boston,  that  Morgan 
himself  had  been  seen  in  that  city.  Davids,  one  of  his 
partners  in  the  book  concern,  had  been  in  New- York  seve- 
ral weeks  during  the  winter,  and  it  was  now  said  he  was  in 
Boston,  where  a  large  edition  of  the  masonic  revelations 
was  printing  in  the  Spanish  language,  with  which  New- 
Orleans,  and  the  people  of  Mexico,  were  to  be  supplied. 
Circumstances  were  stated,  with  an  air  of  sincerity  and 
truth,  that  even  Loton  Lawson,  Whitney,  and  Smith,  were 
all  secretly  interested  in  the  book,  and  that  the  former  had 
encountered  the  imprisonment  which  he  was  then  suffering, 
as  a  part  of  the  scheme, — knowing  that  he  was  sure  to  come 
out  of  prison  with  a  fortune, — while  Smith  and  Whitney  had 
departed  for  New-Orleans,  to  take  charge  of  the  adventure 
in  that  part  of  the  world.  But  the  most  imposing  part  of 
the  tale  was  the  circumstance  reported,  that  a  gentleman 
from  Batavia,  a  Mr.  Brown,  whose  name  was  given,  and 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  Morgan,  being  in  Boston 
upon  business,  had  actually  seen  him  in  the  street.  Mor- 
gan, it  was  asserted,  was  partially  disguised,  and  when 
accosted  by  name,  by  his  former  neighbor,  appeared  some- 
what disconcerted  at  first ;  but  drew  his  cloak  close  around 
his  face,  and  turned  off  into  another  street.  He  was  pui'- 
sued  for  some  distance,  through  various  streets  and  alleys, 
and  ultimately  avoided  a  positive  disclosure,  by  losing  him- 
self in  a  crowd  of  people.  The  editor  of  a  paper  published 
at  Pawtucket,  concluded  the  account  as  follows  : — "  Such 
"  are  the  facts  stated  at  the  time  by  Brown,  of  whom  loe 
"  know  nothing,  but  have  only  the  particulars  from  a  geu- 
"  tleman  who  received  them  from  Brown  himself,  and  from 
"  others  to  whom  he  related  them,  in  Boston  and  Newbiiry- 
"  port,  where  he  gave  an  account  of  the  matter.  We  do 
"  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  our  authority  is  respectable  and 
"  authentic,  ctnd  that  ivc  shall  at  all  times  hold  ourselves  re- 
"  sponsible  for  the  statement  we  have  made,^'     This  state- 


LETTER  XXV.  259 

ment  was  fully  corroborated  by  the  Masonic  Mirror,  pub- 
lished in  Boston,  the  editor  of  which  positively  avowed  his 
belief  that  Morgan  was  in  that  city,  living  incog.,  and  pre- 
paring to  extend  the  book  speculation,  as  before  mentioned. 
These  accounts  created  a  re-action  in  the  public  mind, 
which  continued  for  several  weeks,  although  circumstances 
soon  transpired  to  convince  me  that  they  were  but  another 
attempt  to  deceive. 

I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  &c. 


LETTER    XXV. 

New- York,  Feb.  27,  1832. 
Sm, 

The  next  step  of  this  important  history,  was  the  an- 
nual communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state,  which 
assembles  in  the  city  of  New-York,  on  the  first  Wednes- 
day in  June,  of  each  year.  This  body  has  the  supreme 
government  and  control  of  the  lodges  of  Master  Masons, 
as  the  Grand  Chapter  has  of  the  Royal  Arch ;  and  I  looked 
forward  to  the  meeting  with  no  little  interest.  Dissatisfied, 
as  I  had  been,  with  the  Grand  Chapter,  albeit  as  yet  igno- 
rant of  the  iniquity  of  its  secret  counsels,  I  hoped,  on  this 
first  assembling  of  the  Grand  Lodge  since  the  perpetration 
of  the  Morgan  outrage,  that  a  thorough  investigation  would 
be  set  on  foot  by  this  body, — the  conduct  of  the  lodges  un- 
der its  jurisdiction,  supposed  to  have  been  either  directly  or 
indirectly  implicated,  inquired  into, — and  the  charters  of 
offending  lodges  withdrawn,  &c.  I  had  another  purpose  in 
view.  I  did  entertain  a  hope,  that,  from  my  extensive  ac- 
quaintance with  the  fraternity,  and  by  the  help  of  my  Free- 
masonry, I  should  be  enabled  to  penetrate  the  great  secret 


260  LETTER  XXV. 

of  Morgan's  fate.     And  I  accordingly  devised  such  schemes 
as  seemed  best  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  object. 

A  day  or  two  previously  to  the  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
I  had  the  honor  of  a  call  from  Eli  Bruce.     I  v^^as  aware  that 
lie  had  been  cited  by  Governor  Clinton  to  show  cause  why  he 
should  not  be  removed  from  the  sheriffalty  of  Niagara,  for 
his  allcdged  participation  in  the  Morgan  outrage.     Indeed, 
although  Gov.  C.  has  frequently  been  censured  for  the  deli- 
beration with  which  he  proceeded  in  this  matter,  as  well  as 
upon  other  points  of  this  controversy,  yet  it  is  a  fact,  as  must 
already  have  been  seen  from  one  of  his  letters,  that  it  was 
at  his  suggestion,  after  he  had  seen  the  deposition  of  Mo- 
sher  and  others,  that  a  complaint  against  Bruce  had  been 
formally  laid  before  him.    Mr.  Bruce  stated  to  me  that  he  had 
come  to  New- York  to  make  his  defence, — Gov.  Clinton 
having  left  Albany  for  a  visit  of  a  few  weeks  to  this  city. 
He  presented  me  a  lettel*  of  introduction  from  a  valued 
friend,  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  estimable  gentlemen 
in  the  western  country,  and  in  whose  judgment  I  have  great 
confidence.     This  gentleman  spoke  very  kindly  of  Bruce  ; 
stated  that  he  had  visited  the  county  of  Niagara,  and  inqui- 
red particularly  into  the  causes  of  the  excitement ;  that  he 
believed  Bruce  to  be  an  injured  and  innocent  man  ;  and  in 
conclusion  desired  me  to  examine  the  papers  which  formed 
the  defence  which  Mr.  B.  was  about  to  submit  to  the  Gov- 
ernor.    As  Mr.  B.  himself  joined  in  this  request,  I  did  so, 
and  passed  a  very  long  evening  with  him.     In  looking  over 
his  papers,  I  found  them  materially  defective,  as  a  defence, 
and  after  a  long  examination  of  him,  by  way  of  question 
and  cross-question,  although  he  exerted  himself  greatly  to 
persuade  me  of  his  entire  innocence  of  the  wliole  transac- 
tion, and  his  ignorance  of  Morgan,  I  yet  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  he  was  clearly  guilty  of  aiding  in  the  abduction. 
Of  the  murder,  or  any  participation  therein,  I  did  not  then. 


LETTER  XXV.  261 

nor  have  I  ever  since,  believed  Bruce  to  be  guilty.  I  believe 
he  is  naturally  a  kind-hearted,  and  an  amiable  man.  We 
parted  late  in  the  night,  and  I  have  never  had  any  conver- 
sation with  him  since.  Gov.  Clinton  was  absent  from  the 
city,  during  the  wliole  time  of  Brucc's  visit, — being  then  on 
a  tour  through  Connecticut  and  Vermont,  visiting  the  Farm- 
ington  Canal,  and  exploring  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut, 
with  a  view  to  the  improvement  of  its  navigation  to  Barnet, 
in  the  latter  state.  The  hearing,  therefore,  did  not  take  place 
until  September.  His  defence  consisted  chiefly,  if  not  alto- 
?j;ether,  of  aflidavits,  the  object  of  which  was  to  impeach  the 
character  of  Moshcr,  and  to  discredit  the  statement  of  Cory- 
don  Fox ;  but  there  was  no  attempt  to  explain  the  part 
which  he  himself  had  enacted  on  the  memorable  night  of 
the  13th  September,  either  by  his  own  affidavit,  or  any  affi- 
davits from  his  friends.  He  was  removed  from  office  by 
Gov.  Clinton,  and  the  act  was  a  righteous  one. 

I  w^as  not  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  Those  only 
are  such  who  are  actually  masters  or  wardens  of  lodges  fol' 
the  time  being,  or  who  are  past-masters  of  lodges.  Of 
course  I  could  only  exercise  my  right  of  visiting  it,  without 
participating  in  its  deliberations.  This  it  had  been  my  prac- 
tice for  years  to  do :  and,  full  of  hope  that  I  should  find 
that  right  worshipful  body  engaged  in  deliberating  upon 
some  efficient  measures  for  an  investigation  of  the  cause  of 
the  excitement  yet  raging  at  the  west  with  all  its  original 
virulence,  I  repaired  to  the  lodge-room  as  usual.  Little, 
however,  did  I  imagine  the  reception  with  which  I  was  to 
meet  from  a  portion  of  my  brethren.  There  were  many  old 
friends  with  whom  I  met  as  cordially  as  in  former  times. 
But  there  were  others  whose  countenances  fi'owned  darkly 
upon  me  ;  while  others,  still,  assailed  mc  w^ith  angry  and 
violent  language,  chai'ging  mc,  with  eyes  flashing  revenge- 
fully, with  being  a  deserter,  a  revealer  of  secrets,  an  Anti- 
mason,  (fee.     There  was  much  excitement  and  irritation  in 


jiSSt  LETTER  XXV. 

the  circle  that  gathered  round  me,  and  it  was  declared  by 
one  or  more,  that  if  they  could  only  obtain  copies  of  some 
of  the  articles  which  I  had  written  against  the  abduction  of 
Morgan,  there  should  be  a  resolution  for  my  expulsion  on 
the  following  day.  I  repelled  their  upbraidings  with  all 
possible  calmness,  and  assured  them  that  if  they  would  call 
at  my  office  early  on  the  ensuing  morning,  they  should  hare 
the  use  of  our  files  of  papers  to  make  as  many  copies  as 
they  pleased, — adding,  that  I  would  assist  them  in  the  search 
with  the  utmost  pleasure. 

On  the  following  morning  two  or  three  of  the  brethren 
called  upon  me,  and  the  files  were  examined.  If,  sir,  you 
will  pardon  my  prolixity  upon  this  point, — a  point,  by  the 
way,  which,  though  apparently  interesting  chiefly  to  myself, 
is  not  altogether  without  interest  to  the  public  as  connected 
with  this  transaction, — I  will  cite  the  passages  from  my 
editorial  writings,  which  had  given  such  mortal  ofience. 
By  these  citations, — and  they  shall  be  very  brief, — you  will 
be  the  better  enabled  to  judge  as  to  the  temper  and  disposi- 
tion of  the  body  from  whom  I  had  been  hoping  to  see  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  Morgan  business  undertaken. 

I  have  already  stated  the  determination  to  which  I  came, 
so  soon  as  I  was  convinced  that  the  high-handed  outrage 
complained  of  at  the  west,  had  actually  been  committed,  to 
publish,  fearlessly,  and  independently,  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  so  far  as  that  could  be  eli- 
cited, of  the  whole  matter.  And  I  was  likewise  determined, 
that  the  voice  of  no  Anti-mason  should  ring  deeper  than 
mine,  in  the  denunciation  of  the  crime.  Accordingly,  in  the 
course  of  an  editorial  article  on  the  day  upon  which  I  re- 
ceived the  letter  from  Mr.  Spencer,  before  referred  to,  viz : 
on  the  13th  of  February,  1827,  I  held  the  following  lan- 
guage : — 

"  We  feel  it  a  duty  to  state,  that,  not  satisfied  with  the 
^'  newspaper  accounts,  we  have  written  to  a  gentleman  of 


LETTER  XXV.  263 

"  high  standing,  whose  official  relations  enable  him  to  speak 
"  with  more  than  common  authority  ;  and  the  answer  just 
"  received,  has  made  an  impression  far  different  from  what 
"  we  had  hoped,  or  anticipated.  In  one  word,  then,  although 
"  there  is  as  yet  no  direct  and  positive  proof  of  the  fact, 
"  we  have  but  too  much  reason  to  fear  that  the  worst  is 
"  true ;  and  that  a  few  misguided,  heated,  and  ignorant  ma- 
"  sonic  fanatics,  have  inflicted  a  wound  upon  the  fraternity 
"  to  which  we  have  felt  it  a  pleasure  to  belong,  which  it 
"  will  require  years  to  heal,  and  fixed  a  stain  upon  the  cha- 
"  racter  of  the  institution,  which  all  the  waters  of  Niagara 
"  cannot  wash  away." 

Much  to  my  astonishment,  the  article  from  which  I  have 
quoted,  called  forth  a  reply  in  one  of  the  gazettes  in  this 
city,  in  which,  whatever  the  fate  of  Morgan  might  be  proved 
to  have  been,  the  aggressors  were  justified.  My  rejoinder 
was  prompt  and  equally  decided  in  its  tone.  After  giving 
concisely  my  views  of  the  nature  of  the  masonic  obliga- 
tions, my  article,  published  on  the  20th  of  February,  was 
concluded  thus : — 

"  Away,  then,  with  these  sickly  attempts  to  extenuate 
"  the  conduct  of  the  aggressors  in  this  affair.  Be  Morgan 
"  dead,  or  be  he  living,  there  is  no  masonic  excuse  for  the 
"  violation  of  the  civil  law.  If  he  be  living,  let  the  ma- 
"  sonic  fanatics  who  carried  him  off,  make  it  manifest.  Let 
"  them  produce  him,  if  he  be  yet  within  their  power,  or 
"  prove  the  fact,  if  (as  they  were  then  pretending)  he  is 
"  concerned  in  a  plot  .to  keep  out  of  view  until  his  fortune 
"  is  made  by  the  sale  of  his  book.  But  if  he  has  been  put 
"  to  death,  let  none  '  lay  the  flattering  unction  to  their  souls,' 
"  that  his  blood  is  not  in  their  skirts.  What  though  he  had 
"  proved  recreant  to  his  principles,  and  violated  the  oath  ho 
"  had  taken  to  preserve  the  secrets  '>[  the  order, — shall  a 
"  band  of  men,  in  a  moment  of  indignation,  deliberately 
"  put  to  death  a  fcl low-being,  who,  for  the  same  oflcnce,  if 


264  LETTER  XXV. 

"  committed  against  the  state,  would  only  be  consigned  by 
"  law  to  the  state  prison  !  It  cannot  be.  tvcry  Mason 
*'  should  set  his  face  against  such  monstrous  opinions.  We 
"  repeat  it,  as  a  member  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  that  if 
"  Morgan  has  been  put  to  death — God  forbid  that  it  should 
"  prove  so — his  blood  cries  from  the  ground  for  vengeance 
"  as  loud  as  did  the  blood  of  Abel !" 

Ten  days  afterwards,  the  mail  from  Washington  brought 
me  a  threatening  letter,  which,  having  been  somewhat  cele- 
brated from  its  frequent  quotation  by  the  Anti-masonic  wri- 
ters, I  may,  perha})s,  as  well  insert  in  this  place.  It  had 
the  Washington  post-mark,  and  was  dated 

"  Washington,  February  25,  1827. 
"Sir, 

"  Your  remarks  relating  to  the  case  of  Morgan,  arc 
fraught  with  ill  to  the  order  to  which  you  unworthily  belong; 
and  if  justice  is  done  you,  you  also  will  have  your  throat 
cut,  for  writing  and  printing  certain  things  appertaining  to 
our  ancient  science.  You  spoke  of  '  obligations,'  and  their 
interdictions  and  exceptions.  I  can  only  at  this  time  assure 
you,  that  my  business  only  prevents  my  coming  directly  on 
to  you;  but  the  4th  of  June  will  be  time  enough,  you  damn- 
ed '  recreant,'  when  and  where  you  shall  see  *  a  sprig  of 
locust.' " 

There  was  no  mistaking  this  letter.  It  came  from  a  Ma- 
son. It  was  conceived  in  the  same  temper  and  disposition 
which  had  conspired  against  the  wretched  Morgan  ;  and  it 
breathed  the  same  spirit  that  was  afterwards  manifested 
towards  me  by  a  portion  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  identical  publications  which  called  it  forth. 
The  letter  was  published  at  the  time  with  such  comments 
as  its  insolent  ferocity  seemed  to  require  ;  and  I  made  many 
unsuccessful  clTorts  to  ascertain  who  was  the  author.     One 


LETTER  XXV.  265 

of  the  Morgan  conspirators,  and  doubtless  a  principal,  was 
at  Washington  at  or  about  the  time  the  letter  was  written, 
and  he  was  probably  the  instigator  of  the  threat,  if  not  the 
writer. 

But  to  return  again  to  the  Grand  Lodge:  after  looking 
the  articles  over  closely,  the  idea  of  arraigning  me  as  a 
traitor  was  abandoned ;  and  the  gentlemen  left  me  with 
the  most  positive  assurances  on  my  part,  that  they  might  at 
all  times  depend  upon  the  strongest  opposition  from  me, 
against  all  infractions  of  the  laws,  for  whatever  purpose,  or 
by  whomsoever  committed.     After  these  occurrences,  how- 
ever, I  entertained  no  farther  expectation  that  any  efficient 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  to  inquire  into 
the  western  outrages,  or  even  to  censure  the  authors,  would 
be  adopted.     But  I  was  not  even  yet  prepared  to  witness 
an  open  and  unblushing  grant  of  money,  by  the  Grand 
Lodge,  to  one  of  the  most  active  conspirators.     Such,  how- 
ever, was  the  fact,  as  I  have  already  had  occasion  to  state 
to  the  public.     The  grant  was  not  great,  it  is  true  ;  but  it 
was  large  enough  to  determine  the  principle.      Eli  Bruce 
had  asked  for  a  donation  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars, 
to  make  up  for  losses,  in  consequence  of  what  were  called 
the  persecutions  against  him,  by  the  Anti-masons.     One 
hundred  dollars  were  voted  to  him,  and  the  residue  of  the 
sum  was  made  up  by  contributions  from  individuals  in  this 
city.     It  is  doubtless  true  that  a  portion  of  the  members  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  believed  Bruce  to  be  an  injured  man. 
And  the  hostilities  of  the  Anti-masons  had  been  so  indiscri- 
minately waged  against  the  members  of  the  fraternity,  that 
they  naturally  felt  a  sympathy  for  such  as  they  might  be  in- 
duced to  believe  had  been  persecuted.     But  it  was  known 
that  Bruce  was  kboring  under  the  strongest  suspicion,  and 
that  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  state,  who  was  also  the 
highest  masonic  officer  in  the  country,  had  ordered  him  to 
show  cause  why  he  should  not  be  removed  from  the  office 

34 


260  LETTER  XXV. 

of  sheriff,  the  duties  of  which  he  had  so  greatly  abused. 
There  were,  moreover,  in  the  Grand  Lodge  at  the  time, 
numbers  of  the  leading  members  of  the  order,  who  could 
not  have  been  ignorant  of  the  real  nature  of  the  transac- 
tions which  had  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  west,  or  of  the 
relation  in  which  Bruce  stood  to  those  transactions.  Un- 
der these  circumstances,  when  I  saw  that  appropriation 
made,  my  own  course  was  taken.     I  have  never  crossed 

THE  THRESHOLD  OF  A  LODGE-ROOM  SINCE. 

The  Grand  Lodge  adjourned,  without  attempting  even  so 
much  as  a  resolution  in  testimony  of  its  own  innocence,  or 
by  way  of  a  rebuke  to  offending  brethren.     I  pushed  my 
own  investigations,  however,  on  my  own  account,  and  suc- 
ceeded, as  I  then  supposed,  in  a  tolerably  accurate  ascer- 
tainment of  the  facts  of  the  case.     A  friend  of  mine,  a  dis- 
tinguished Mason,  who  had  formerly  resided  in  Erie  coun- 
ty, on  the  Niagara,  but  was,  at  the  time  of  which  I  am  now 
writing,  sheriff  of  Huron  county,  Ohio,  while  on  his  way  to 
this  city,  lingered  a  week  on  the  Niaga*ra,  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  satisfying  his  own  mind  as  to  this  extraordinary 
case.     Knowing  the  leading  members  of  the  order  in  that 
county,  he  felt  a  strong  degree  of  confidence  that  he  should 
be  able  to  penetrate  the  mystery  ;  and  he  did  so,  to  his  own 
satisfaction,  save  only  in  regard  to  the  names  of  the  actors 
in  the  closing  scene.      He  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  that 
Morgan  was  taken  over  into  Canada  a  second  time,  and 
carried  upon  the  Canadian  shore  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles 
above  Niagara,  near  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie.     He  was  there 
taken,  at  the  dead  hour  of  midnight,  to  the  river's  edge,  and 
a  heavy  stone  made  fast  to  his  body.     He  was  next  lashed 
upon  a  plank,  which  was  moored  along  side  of  a  boat.  Four 
persons  then  entered  the  boat—one  Englishman,  one  Cana- 
dian, and  two  Americans—and  rowed  out  into  the  middle  of 
the  stream,  where  tfie  cord  binding  the  victim  to  theplnnk. 
-was  cut,  and  the  wretched  mnn  cast  into  the -embrace  of 


LETTER  XXVI.  267 

the  dark  and  angry  wave,  sweeping  impetuously  towards 
the  cataract.  Morgan,  it  was  said,  neither  wept,  nor  spoke, 
during  this  dreadful  scene :  but  the  drops  of  perspiration 
stood  heavily  upon  his  face.  Such  was  the  relation,  which, 
for  a  whole  year,  I  so  fully  believed  that  I  wrote  to  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lewiston  committee  a  full  account  of  the  tragedy. 
But  I  have  since  been  told  that  my  letter  was  very  chari- 
tably construed  into  an  attempt,  on  my  part,  to  deceive  the 
committee,  and  prevent  them  from  finding  the  remains  of 
the  body,  in  search  of  which,  they  were  then  sweeping  the 
bed  of  the  Niagara. 

My  informant,  who  is  no  longer  of  this  world,  visited 
New- York  again,  in  the  spring  of  1828.  We  had  a  full 
conversation  upon  the  subject,  and  he  now  assured  me  that 
he  knew  not  what  to  believe,  since  he  had  no  doubt,  from 
subsequent  investigations,  that  he  had  been  deceived  in  the 
former  relation  throughout. 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER    XXVL 

New- York,  Feb.  28,  1832. 
Sir, 

It  would  puzzle  the  ingenuity  of  man  to  devise  a  more 
injudicious  and  unwise  measure,  on  the  part  of  the  Masons, 
than  that  which  next  demands  my  attention.  It  was  so  irri- 
tating in  itself,  towards  a  community,  already  excited  almost 
to, the  highest  pitch  of  exasperation,  so  uncalled  for  and  un- 
necessary, that  I  can  scarcely  rofer  to  it,  even  at  this  late 
day,  with  any  patience.  I  allude  to  the  public  celebration 
of  the  anniversary  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  which  occur- 
red on  the  25th  of  June.  The  stated  festivals  of  the  masonic 
order,  are  those  of  the  two  Johns,  the  Baptist,  and  the  Evan- 


268  LETTER  XXVT. 

gelist,  both  of  whom  are  claimed  as  having  been  illustrious 
patrons  of  the  order,  although  both  were  in  "  the  celestial 
"  lodge  above,"  many  centuries  before  those  below  were 
dreamed  of — but  that  is  no  matter.  One  of  these  anniversa- 
ries occurs  in  December,  and  the  other  in  June  ;  and  it  has 
been  the  custom  of  most  lodges  to  pay  special  attention  to 
one  or  the  other, — rarely  to  both  in  the  same  year, — and 
still  more  rarely  to  distinguish  either  by  th  public  celebration, 
and  a  procession,  &c.  The  persons  most  ambitious  for 
these  displays,  have  usually  been  young  Masons,  and  recent- 
ly created  lodges  and  chapters,  at  times  when  they  could 
march  forth  with  their  new  jewels  and  robes,  their  bright 
crimson  sashes,  and  ample  draperies  of  silk  and  purple,  and 
the  various  other  glittering  insignia  which  go  to  make  up. a 
brilliant  pageant.  These  recreations  have  always  been  ve- 
ry harmless,  so  far  as  my  own  experience  and  observation 
enable  me  to  decide ;  and  they  would  doubtless  have  con- 
tinued pleasant  and  agreeable  divertisements,  so  long  as  the 
wisdom,  and  the  deep  and  hidden  mysteries  of  the  order,  re- 
mained undisclosed  to  the  profane  gaze  of  the  vulgar. 

It  would  have  argued  exceedingly  bad  taste,  however,  in 
a  country  in  which  all  can  read,  and  where  the  secrets  of 
the  inmost  recesses  of  the  order  wore  hawking  about  at 
every  corner,  for  a  shilling,  or  twenty-five  cents  at  the  ut- 
most, even  under  the  most  peaceable  circumstances,  for  the 
craft  to  have  essayed  another  public  spectacle,  where,  if 
they  could  continue  to  look  grave  themselves,  they  surely 
could  not  escape  the  smiles  and  the  ridicule  of  the  specta- 
tors. But  in  a  community  burning  with  such  an  excitement 
as  that  which  now  raged  over  the  whole  country,  to  attempt 
to  brave  public  opinion  by  such  a  display,  disclosed  a  lack 
of  wisdom,  of  tact,  and  a  want  of  knowledge  of  human  na- 
ture, rarely  to  be  met  with.  The  manner,  moreover,  in 
which  the  business  was  taken  in  hand,  was  equally  ill-judg- 
ed.    Not  content  with  tlic  customary  mode  of  announcing 


LETTER  xxvr.  269 

the  intended  festivities,  the  notices  were  sent  forth  six  weeks 
in  anticipation  of  the  period,  and  in  a  style  of  bravado,  os- 
tentation, and  contempt  for  public  opinion,  calculated  at 
once  to  arouse  into  action  all  the  angry  passions  which  pru- 
dence itself  could  at  any  time  scarcely  restrain.  The  fra- 
ternity were  summoned  to  the  gathering,  far  and  near, 
"  Knights,  companions  and  brethren,"  to  make  up  the  array, 
and  march  forth  in  all  the  pride,  pomp  and  circumstance 
of  "  glorious  Masonry," — as  in  times  when  it  was  alledged 
that  the  world  were  striving  in  vain  to  gain  their  secret, — 
a  treasure,  which  they  fain  would  have  had  the  uninitiated 
believe  as  far  above  price,  as  the  precious  stone  of  the  Tal- 
mud, which,  being  suspended  in  the  ark  of  the  covenant  for 
the  dispensation  of  light,  illuminated  the  interior  of  that  sa- 
cred casket  with  the  resplendent  beams  of  its  own  celestial 
radiance. 

The  effect  of  this  procedure  upon  the  public  mind,  may 
readily  be  imagined.  Of  itself  it  was  sufficient  to  give  of- 
fence to  all  those,  who,  from  the  recent  occurrences  in  Ba- 
tavia,  now  held  the  institution  in  abhorrence  ;  but,  seized 
upon,  as  all  must  have  foreseen  it  would  be,  and  as  it  was, 
by  those  who  had  an  interest  in  continuing  the  agitation,  it 
provoked  an  excessive  fermentation.  On  several  previous 
occasions,  rumors  had  been  set  afloat  which  tested  the  public 
feeling  in  a  manner  too  unequivocal  to  be  disregarded.  The 
slightest  indication  that  the  Masons  had  yet  some  lingering 
designs  against  Col.  Miller,  had  more  than  once  brought 
swarms  of  the  people  into  the  village,  with  arms,  as  if  for 
bloody  combat  ;  and  now  that  a  large  muster  of  Masons 
had  been  summoned,  a  single  whisper  getting  abroad,  how- 
ever baseless  in  its  origin,  or  sinister  in  its  object,  was  suffi- 
cient to  cause  armed  hosts  to  spring  up  as  vigorous  and  bold 
as  the  Macedonian  phalanx.  It  was  even  so.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  notice  was  tFie  signal  for  the  tocsin,  and  it 
was  sounded  with  great  industry,  and  incredible  effect.  Pub- 


270  LETTER  XXVI. 

lications  of  a  highly  inflammatory  nature  were  put  forth ; 
the  most  infamous  insinuations  as  to  the  real  objects  of  the 
celebration  were  published  ;  and  every  possible  effort  that 
could  be  resorted  to,  without  transgressing  the  law,  was 
made,  to  excite  the  apprehensions,  and  the  passions,  of  the 
jx)pulace  against  the  masonic  order.  The  object  of  the  ce- 
lebration was  known  to  all.  It  could  not  be  mistaken.  It 
was  designed  solely  to  show  the  Anti-masons  that  they  were 
determined  not  to  be  put  down  by  clamor,  or  by  what  they 
considered  a  persecuting  crusade  against  the  whole,  for  the 
misdeeds,  as  all  pretended,  and  many  believed,  of  a  few.  It 
was  in  all  respects  pacific,  and  yet  it  was  got  up  solely  in  a 
spirit  of  resistance  to  that  current  of  prejudice,  and  that 
tide  of  popular  opinion,  which  was  rolling  in  against  it  with 
a  swell  that  became  heavier  with  each  successive  up-rising 
of  the  sun.  The  idea  of  another  masonic  outrage,  by  those 
who  had — most  indiscreetly,  it  is  true — undertaken  this 
celebration,  was  too  absurd  to  be  entertained  by  a  man  in 
his  senses,  for  a  moment ;  and  yet  it  was  asked  in  the  anti- 
masonic  papers — "  What  can  be  the  ol)iect  of  calling  so 
"  many  Masons  together  ?  .Why  should  the  members  of 
"  distant  lodges  and  chapters  be  summoned  ?  Whose  hou- 
"  ses  are  to  be  burnt  or  demolished  ?  Who  is  to  be  kidnap- 
*'  pcd  and  murdered  ?"  These  questions  I  have  copied 
from  a  Batavia  paper  of  that  day  ;  and  I  might  select  many 
more  ap})eals  to  the  fears,  and  the  passions  of  the  people, 
uttered  in  the  same  strain.  Nor  were  they  without  cflcct. 
A  county  meeting  of  the  people  was  called  to  assemble  at 
the  court  house  in  the  same  village,  on  the  same  day,  and  it 
was  intimated  that  it  would  be  advisable  to  come  armed. 
Accordingly,  at  the  time  appointed,  while  the  Masons  were 
gathering  into  the  village,  sin^^iy  and  in  pairs,  with  no  other 
arms  than  those  hanging  from  their  shoulders,  or  perchance 
their  squares  and  compasses,*  and  the  rods  of  the  stewards, 
the  extraordinary  spectacle  was  exhibited  of  a  whole  peo- 


LETTER  XXVI.  271 

pie,  as  it  were,  in  motion.  The  number  of  Masons  who  as- 
sembled, was  about  three  hundred  ;  but  the  people  flocked 
in  from  all  directions,  and  from  distant  towns  and  counties, 
not  by  tens  and  hundreds  merely,  but  by  thousands.  Some 
were  armed  with  muskets,  some  with  bludgeons,  and  others 
with  large  knives.  The  muskets,  however,  I  believe,  were 
chiefly,  if  not  all,  deposited  in  places  without  the  viflage, 
where  they  could  readily  be  procured  if  the  bloody  Masons 
should  attempt  to  run  off  with  any  good  citizen,  or  cut  the 
throat  from  ear  to  ear,  of  any  of  their  own  treacherous 
members. 

Thus  did  one  of  the  most  quiet  and  peaceable  of  villages, 
in  the  midst  of  a  most  staid  and  intelligent  community,  pre- 
sent the  extraordinary  spectacle  of  a  populace  in  arms,  to 
the  number  of  from  five  to  seven  thousand,  for  no  other  rea- 
son than  because  a  few  dozen  Freemasons  had  resolved 
once  more  to  appear  in  the  streets  with  their  sashes,  their 
silk  gowns,  and  their  aprons,  and  to  hear  a  moral  lecture 
commemorative  of  the  character  and  virtues  of  St.  John ; 
inculcating  the  usual  lessons  of  charity  ;  and  concluding 
with  an  impressive  exhortation  to  the  members  to  illustrate 
by  their  lives,  that  exclamation  of  the  Psalmist — "  behold 
"  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  to- 
"  gether  in  unity  !" 

These  movements  were  not  contemplated  by  sober  and 
reflecting  men,  without  great  apprehension  for  the  result. 
It  was  but  too  evident  from  the  temper  of  the  assembled 
multitude, — from  the  frowning  brows,  and  flashing  eyes, — 
that  but  a  single  spark  was  wanting  to  fire  the  train.  A 
single  hostile  act  from  one  of  the  proscribed  order,  would 
have  brought  on  an  aflray  that  would  have  added  a  bloody 
page  to  our  history.  Happily,  however,  the  day  passed  ofl^ 
without  any  <■  ii^':;;.  'iisliuluinco.  Tho  Masons  marched 
through  the  str<;(;is,  and  inarchod  back  again.  Some  jiboK 
»and  jeers  were  utterfid  at  then  expense  ;  a  wa<2:gon  was  sc* 


272  LETTER  XXVII. 

veral  limes  rudely  driven  across  their  path,  or  tlirough  their 
ranks,  to  annoy  them ;  and  a  few  stones  were  cast  into 
their  ranks  without  effect.  But  they  conducted  themselves 
with  as  much  prudence,  while  engaged  in  their  fete,  as  they 
had  shown  of  the  opposite  commodity  in  coming  thither, 
under  the  circumstances,  for  such  a  purpose.  The  Anti- 
masons  held  their  meeting  at  the  court  house — such  as  could 
get  in — for  the  whole  town  was  filled  ; — an  oration  w^as 
pronounced  by  a  gentleman  of  the  bar,  and  an  address  de- 
livered by  a  clergyman.  A  series  of  resolutions  were  pas- 
sed, denouncing  the  legislature  for  refusing  to  aid,  by  a  spe- 
cial enactment,  the  investigation  of  the  dark  conspiracy  ;  a 
convention  of  delegates  from  the  several  counties  animated 
by  the  excitement,  was  invited  to  assemble  in  the  course  of 
the  following  month,  "  to  adopt  measures  for  the  public 
"  safety,'*  and  fresh  denunciations  were  uttered  against  the 
press.  At  night  the  multitude  dispersed,  and  wxnt  quietly 
to  their  own  homes — the  Masons  burning  with  resentment 
at  the  insult  and  contumely  with  which  they  had  been  treat- 
ed— yet  too  wise  to  manifest  it  by  any  overt  acts  ; — and  the 
Anti-masons  cherishing  the  bitterest  hatred  towards  the  fra- 
ternity, and  yet  restrained  from  any  deeds  of  violence,  by 
that  habitual  respect  for  the  laws,  which  is  rarely  lost  sight 
of  by  any  collection  of  our  native  citizens,  and  which  illus- 
trates the  glorious  fact,  that  as  yet,  there  is  in  the  United 
States  no  such  thing  as  an  American  mob.  Long  may  we 
be  entitled  to  the  proud  exception.     I  am,  &c. 


LETTER   XXVIL 

New- York,  Feb.  29,  1832. 
Sir, 

On  the  22d  day  of  May,  1827,  came  on  the  trial  ol  James 
Lakey,  Isaac  Evertsoii,  Chaunccy  H.  Coe,  ilolloway  Hay- 


LETTER  XXVII.  273 

ward,  Hiram  Hubbard,  John  Butterfield,  James  Ganson 
Asa  Nowlen,  Harris  Seymour,  Henry  Howard,  and  Moses 
Roberts,  before  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  for  the  coun- 
ty of  Ontario— Judge  Howell  presiding.  These  persons 
had  been  indicted  for  a  conspiracy  to  take  William  Morgan 
from  the  jail  of  Ontario  county,  to  kidnap  and  remove  him 
to  foreign  parts,  without  the  jurisdiction  of  the  state,  and  to 
secrete  and  confine  him  there ;  and  for  actually  carrying 
the  conspiracy  into  effect.  Undiminished  interest  was  mani- 
fested by  the  public  in  the  progress  of  these  successive 
trials,  and  large  collections  of  people  attended,  as  in  the 
case  of  Cheseboro  and  others,  in  the  preceding  January. 
Counsel  for  the  people,  Messrs.  Whiting,  (District  Attor- 
ney,) Wilson,  Dickson,  Talbot,  and  Benjamin.  For  the  de- 
fendants, Messrs.  Marvin,  Sibley,  Penfield,  Adams,  Hubbell, 
and  Barnard. 

In  sketching  this  trial,  and  the  several  others  that  are  to 
follow,  I  shall,  as  far  as  possible,  avoid  minute  details,  and 
repetitions  of  facts  heretofore  related,  although  references 
to  such  facts  will  often  become  necessary.  My  object,  how- 
ever, will  be,  to  give  all  such  new  facts  and  circumstances, 
as  are  from  time  to  time  brought  to  light,  and  all  those 
points  of  the  several  cases,  which  will  best  illustrate  the  pe- 
culiar character  of  this  great  conspiracy,  and  the  conduct 
of  those  who  were  engaged  in  it. 

The  trial  of  Evertson,  named  in  the  present  indictment, 
was  postponed,  in  consequence  of  the  absence  of  a  material 
witness  ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  proceedings,  ^7iolle  pro- 
sequi was  entered  by  the  public  prosecutor,  in  regard  to 
Butterfield  and  Nowlen.  The  case  involved  the  arrest  of 
Morgan,  at  Batavia,  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  September, 
1826,  and  his  transportation  to  Canandaigua.  Colonel  MiU 
ler  was  the  first  witness  called.  He  testified,  (in  addition 
to  the  particulars  heretofore  historically  related,)  that  when 
he  came  up  to  the  carriage  into  which  Morgan  had  already 


274  LETTER  XXVII. 

been  thrust  at  Donald's  house,  Hayward  stepped  forward, 
and  declared — "  Morgan  must  and  shall  go."  On  being 
spoken  to  by  Miller,  Morgan  at  first  paid  no  attention,  and 
witness  was  surprised  to  see  his  appearance  so  much  chang- 
ed. His  color  had  departed,  and  left  an  ashy  paleness,  and 
his  eye  seemed  fixed  and  glazed.  Miller  spoke  to  him  with 
more  energy,  upon  which  he  started,  and  was  partly  rising, 
when  he  was  commanded  by  some  one  to  "  sit  still," — upon 
which  the  door  was  suddenly  shut  by  Danolds.  This  last 
fact  was  flatly  contradicted  by  Danolds,  in  a  subsequent 
part  of  the  trial.  Dr.  Butler,  the  messenger  who  went  for- 
ward from  Stafford  to  announce  the  approach  of  Cheseboro 
and  Hayward,  and  their  party,  to  arrest  Morgan,  testified  to 
the  arrival  of  the  Canandaigua  party  at  Staflbrd,and  his  intro- 
duction to  them.  The  doctor  stated  that  he  tried  to  dissuade 
them  from  their  purpose  of  taking  Morgan  away,  assuring 
them  that  it  would  be  bad  policy.  But  they  persisted,  say- 
ing:— "  We  have  started  for  that  purpose,  and  shall  go  on." 
The  witness  said,  that  as  he  was  then  going  to  Batavia,  he 
was  requested  to  inform  Follett  and  Major  Seaver  of  their 
approach.  He  did  so ;  and  Mr.  Follett  expressed  his  re- 
gret upon  the  subject,  as  the  village  had  already  had  trou- 
ble enough  respecting  Morgan.  As  witness  was  returning 
to  Stafford,  on  meeting  the  carriage,  he  advised  them,  at 
the  request  of  Follett,  to  suspend  the  procedure.  But  they 
were,  most  of  them,  determined  upon  accomplishing  their 
purpose  ;  and  although  the  carriage  was  turned  about,  and 
driven  back  to  Ganson's  tavern,  Ganson  himself  being  with 
it  still,  yet  the  others  proceeded  forward  to  Batavia  on  foot. 
The  driver  of  the  coach  from  Batavia,  whose  reluctance  to 
proceed  has  formerly  been  stated,  was  likewise  called  as  a 
witness.  Cheseboi'o  rode  on  the  box  with  him,  and  kept  a 
sharp  look-out  behind,  as  though  apprehensive  of  a  rescue. 
He  declared  that  Morgan  should  not  be  taken  from  them 
alive.     He  heard  Davids  (Miller's  i)artner)  remark,  as  they 


LETTER  xxvri.  275 

were  about  starting  from  Danolds's — "  they  are  going  to 
"  smuggle  Morgan  away."  Justice  Ciiipman,  who  had 
issued  the  warrant,  related  the  circumstances  attending  the 
issuing  thereof,  and  the  trials  which  took  place  on  its  return^ 
ending  in  Morgan's  being  taken  to  Canandaigua  jail.  All 
the  parties  named  in  the  bill,  were  clearly  identified,  as  hav- 
ing been  engaged  in  the  movements  at  some  stage  of  the 
proceedings.  Dr.  Lakey  was  at  his  office  when  the  war- 
rant was  taken  out,  and  on  its  return ;  and  Kingsley  swore 
that  it  was  by  Lakey's  advice  and  urgency  that  he  was  in- 
duced, against  his  own  better  judgment,  to  apply  for  the 
warrant.  He  had  sometimes  said  that  Morgan  had  stolen 
his  shirt  and  cravat,  and  that  the  Masons  ought  to  pay  for 
it ;  but  did  not  believe  the  taking  of  the  articles  amounted 
to  theft.  The  residue  of  the  investigations  related  to  the 
imprisonment  of  Morgan,  and  his  being  taken  from  the  jail. 
They  were  long  and  minute ;  but  the  testimony  did  not 
vary  in  a  single  essential  point  from  that  given  on  the  trial 
of  Cheseboro.  In  addition,  however,  to  the  witnesses  for- 
merly examined,  there  were  some  others,  who  gave  a  few  ad- 
ditional particulars  touching  the  occurrences  between  the  jail 
and  the  carriage.  A  lady,  not  called  before,  heard  the 
whistling,  saw  the  scuffling,  and  heard  the  cry  of  murder 
three  times  repeated,  together  with  a  desponding  groan  that 
followed.  She  saw  nine  men,  of  whom  Coe  was  one,  while 
two  were  dragging  a  third  along.  A  black  boy,  now  first 
examined,  saw  six  men  put  Morgan  into  a  coach,  and  he 
also  saw  Cheseboro  stuff*  a  handkerchief  into  his  mouth. 
George  Ketchum,  who  will  be  recollected  as  the  companion 
of  Mrs.  Morgan  from  Batavia,  when  she  came  in  pursuit 
of  her  husband,  was  likewise  called  as  a  witness.  He  tes- 
tified to  the  fact  of  his  having  known  Morgan  at  Rochester, 
in  1824,  and  of  his  coming  with  Mrs.  Morgan  to  look  for 
her  husband.  While  she  was  at  the  tavern,  he  saw  Chese- 
boro, Coc,  and  Evertson,  and  was  informed  by  the  first, 


2t6  LETTER  XXVII. 

that  Morgan  had  been  taken  away  the  night  before,  by  an 
officer  from  Pennsylvania.     This  was  the  falsehood,  as  you 
will  recollect,  that  was  told  by  him  at  first  to  the  disconso- 
late woman ;  but  nothing  appears  on  this  trial,  going  to 
show  that  Ketchum  himself  might  not  honestly  have  be- 
lieved the  story  at  the  time.     Mrs.  Morgan  was  again  exa- 
mined, but  her  simple  narrative  remained  unaltered.     An 
important  witness  was  then  called  upon  the  stand,  from 
whom  the  first  legal  testimony  was  elicited,  of  Morgan's 
having  been  carried  through  Rochester  to  Hanford's  Land- 
ing.    Mr.  Sibley,  of  Canandaigua,  a  silversmith,  was  called 
to  testify  to  revelations  that  had  been  made  to  him  by  Sey- 
mour, one  of  the  parties  to  this  indictment.     The  witness 
objected  at  first  to  make  the  disclosure,  as  he  was  very  re- 
luctant to  repeat  the  confidential  conversations  of  a  friend. 
His  examination  Avas  very  long,  occupying  a  part  of  two 
days.     It  soon  became  evident,  that  in  the  regular  progress 
of  his  testimony,  other  names  than  that  of  Seymour,  would 
be  divulged ;  and  the  counsel  for  the  defence  objected  to  this. 
The  question  was  reserved  for  consideration,  and  the  exa- 
mination proceeded,  the  names  of  all  persons  not  now  on 
trial,  being  omitted.     On  the  morning  of  the  second  day, 
however,  the  counsel  for  the  people  succeeded  in  obtaining 
a  rule  for  the  naming  of  two  other  persons,  to  whom  the 
witness  had  alluded,  as  being  concerned  in  the  conspiracy 
to  suppress  the  book.     It  appeared  from  Mr.  Sibley's  testi- 
mony, that  Seymour  had  given  him  an  account  of  all  the 
measures  adopted  by  them  to  get  Morgan  into  their  power, 
and  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  taken  away  from  the 
jail.     Seymour  was  one  of  those  who  went  to  Batavia  after 
Morgan.     It  was  the  second  attempt  to  take  him  away. 
About  two  weeks  previously  to  the  time  in  question,  a  gen- 
tleman came  from  Batavia  to  Canandaigua,  and  consulted 
with  Cheseboro  and  others  respecting  the  proposed  publica- 
tion, and  Cheseboro  declared  that  it  must  and  should  be 


LETTER  XXVII.  277 

suppressed.     Seymour  informed  him,  that  after  the  man 
[Lawson,]  had  succeeded  in  getting  Morgan  out  of  jail,  he 
was  taken  arm  in  arm,  and  led  along  a  few  yards,  when  he 
was  introduced  to  another  person  as  a  friend,  but  under  a 
feigned  name.     On  reaching  the  street,  Morgan  resisted, 
and  witness  thought  he    was  told  by  Seymour   that  he 
was  bound  and  blind-folded.     He  was  then  placed  in  a  car- 
riage, and  taken  to  Hanford's   Landing,  where  he  was 
taken  out,  placed  in  another  carriage,  and  carried  along 
the   Ridge  road  to  Lewiston;    thence  down  to  Youngs- 
town,  and  confined   in    the    powder-house  of  the   fort — 
"  and  that,"  he  added,  "  was  the  last  they  had  heard  from 
"  him."      A  number  of  other  witnesses  were  called,  who 
proved   sundry   particulars    of  the  journey,   such  as  the 
procuring  of  a  carriage  at  Rochester,  the  collection  of  peo- 
ple at  Wright's,  &c.     Piatt,  the  livery  stable  keeper  of  Ro- 
chester, testified  that  he  supposed  he  was  furnishing  the  car- 
riage for  a  party  going  to  the  Lewiston  installation.      No 
one  had  ever  paid  him  for  it.     Wright,  at  whose  house,  not 
many  miles  from  Lockport,  it  will  be  recollected  there  was 
so  great  a  collection  of  people,  also  supposed  they  were  all 
going  to  the  installation.     He  confirmed  the  statement  as  to 
the  carriage  having  been  driven  into  his  barn.  Eli  Bruce  was 
subsequently  called  upon  the  stand,  and  after  several  objec- 
tions to  answering  questions,  lest  he  should  thereby  crimi- 
nate himself,  he  admitted  that  he  had  seen  Bur  rage  Smith, 
of  Rochester,  on  the  afternoon  of  September  13th,  but  de- 
clined saying  where  he  had  seen  him.     He  also  declined 
answering  the  question,  whether  he  was  at  Wright's  on  that 
day,  and  likewise  refused  to  say  whether  he  was  acquainted 
with  William  Morgan.     He  admitted  that  he  was  at  Lew- 
iston on  the  14th  of  September,  and  that  he  was  at  Fort 
Niagara  on  the  13th  and  14th  or  15th.     To  the  question 
whether  he  was  there  on  the  15th,  he  declined  answering. 
He  answered  promptly  the  question  whether  he  was  there 
on  the  14th,  15th,  and  16th.     He  denied  having  ever  seen 


278  LETTER  XXVIT. 

Loton  Lawson,  until  within  a  day  or  two  of  his  present  ex- 
amination, in  the  prison  near  by.  The  court  excused  him 
from  answering  the  question  whether  he  had  heard  any  con- 
versation about  Morgan  on  the  1 3th  ;  and  in  consideration 
of  the  appeal  of  Bruce  to  the  court,  on  the  ground  that  the 
transactions  under  discussion,  were  the  subject  of  a  com- 
pkiint  against  him  now  pending  before  the  governor,  and 
also  at  the  suggestion  of  the  public  prosecutor,  that  the  grand 
jury  had  just  then  found  a  bill  of  indictment  against  the  wit- 
ness, he  was  excused  from  any  further  examination.  I 
omitted  to  mention  one  fact  stated  by  Sibley,  viz :  that  in  his 
conversations,  Seymour  expressed  deep  regrets  at  what  had 
been  done,  and  the  part  he  himself  had  acted.  But  another 
witness  was  called,  who  swore  that,  in  January,  after  the 
offence  was  committed,  Seymour  declared  "  he  would  go 
"  bare-footed  and  bare-legged  to  New-Orleans,"  through 
jeopardy,  to  do  the  same  thing  over  again.  A  Mr.  Perry, 
who  was  watching  with  a  sick  person,  on  the  back  street  in 
Lewiston,  where  the  party  changed  carriages,  saw  a  man 
taken  out  of  the  first  coach,  and  put  into  the  one  that  drove 
into  the  street  after  it.  He  appeared  to  be  helpless,  as 
though  intoxicated,  and  his  head  was  bound  up.  Noah 
Beach  and  Parkhurst  Whitney,  testified,  that  a  large  party 
went  down  from  Lewiston  to  the  fort,  on  the  night  of  the 
14th  ;  but  they  did  not  search  the  fort,  and  neither  of  these 
witnesses  saw  William  Morgan. 

Several  witnesses  were  called  for  the  defence,  the  prin- 
cipal of  whom  was  Nicholas  G.  Cheseboro.  His  examination 
was  very  long,  but  the  substance  of  it,  as  taken  down  by  the 
prosecuting  attorney  himself,  was,  that  there  was  no  under- 
standing between  him  and  the  defendants,  "  of  any  thing 
"  to  be  done  to  Morgan,  other  than  the  bringing  him  from 
^'  Batavia  to  Canandaigua,  and  trying  him."  "  The  idea  of 
"  Morgan's  going  west,  originated  in  Canandaigua,  after 
*'  the  discharge  from  the  warrant ;  and  Cheseboro  did  not 
"  understand  4hat  Morgan  was  to  leave  the  jail,  until  near 


LETTER  XXVII.  279 

"  night  on  the  12th."  He  also  swore  that  his  motives  in 
prosecuting  Morgan,  were  to  convict  him  of  steahng,  and 
thus  to  suppress  the  pubUcation  of  his  book.  They  were 
apprehensive  that  Miller  would  come  from  Batavia,  pay  the 
debt,  and  release  him,  and  a  communication  was  there- 
fore sent  to  Morgan's  friends  at  Rochester,  informing  them 
that  he  was  in  jail  for  debt.  Towards  evening,  on  the  12th 
September,  several  persons  communicated  to  him  the  pur- 
pose of  removing  Morgan ;  they  were  the  same  persons 
who  had  been  informed  of  Morgan's  imprisonment,  by  the 
communication  sent  to  Rochester, — and  he,  (Cheseboro,) 
asserted,  that  he  had  hired  the  carriage  in  which  Morgan 
was  carried  off,  and  paid  for  it.  There  was  no  doubt  of  all 
the  parties  to  the  indictment  having  been  more  or  less  con- 
,cerned  in  getting  Morgan  to  Canandaigua,  and  into  jail ;  but 
the  indictment  w^as  for  taking  him  out,  and  transporting  hinl 
to  parts  unknown ;  and  of  the  intention,  or  conspiracy,  to 
effect  this  object,  Cheseboro  solemnly  declared  that  neither 
of  the  defendants  were  "  by  words,  significant  signs,  hints, 
"  writings,  or  in  any  other  manner  apprised." 

The  cause,  having  lasted  four  days,  was  submitted  by 
the  counsel  without  argument.  His  honor  Judge  Howell, 
gave  an  able  and  luminous  charge  to  the  jury.  The  proof 
to  establish  both  the  conspiracy  and  the  consummation,  was, 
he  said,  full  and  conclusive.  That  Morgan  had  been  un- 
lawfully kidnapped  and  carried  off,  was  abundantly  cer- 
tain, and  that  he  had  been  subsequently  unlawfully  put  to 
death,  there  was  but  too  much  reason  to  believe.  All  ex- 
ertions, praiseworthy  to  those  who  had  made  them,  and 
honorable  to  the  country,  had  thus  far  failed  to  develope  the 
nefarious  transaction.  Exertion  and  investigation,  how- 
ever, ought  not,  and  would  not,  cease,  until  this  abominable 
crime  should  be  exposed,  and  the  perpetrators  of  it  punished. 
These  defendants,  continued  the  judge,  if  innocent  of  the 
ofTence  charged  in  the  indictment,  must  not  suffer  for  the 


280  LETTER  XXVII. 

foul  and  black  deeds  of  others.  Courts  are  established  to 
protect  the  innocent,  and  punish  the  guilty ;  and  it  is  better 
that  ninety  and  nine  guilty  men  should  escape,  than  that  an 
innocent  person  should  suffer.  After  briefly  stating  the  ev- 
idence, and  explaining  the  law,  he  gave  his  opinion,  that  the 
testimony,  though  abundant  to  prove  abstractly,  all  that  was 
alledged,  did  not  bring  the  charge  home  to  the  defendants. 
The  time  of  the  court,  he  remarked,  had,  notwithstanding, 
been  profitably  spent  in  eliciting  testimony  which  must  ul- 
timately unravel  this  horrible  mystery. 

The  jury,  after  a  short  deliberation,  returned  a  verdict  of 
Not  Guilty.  Eli  Bruce,  David  Hague,  Orsamus  Turner, 
and  Jared  Darrow,  of  Lockport,  were  at  the  same  time  in- 
dicted for  a  conspiracy  to  kidnap  William  Morgan.  Orsa- 
mus Turner  being  at  Canandaigua,  was  arrested,  and  dis- 
charged on  a  recognizance  to  appear  at  the  next  term  of 
the  court,  and  answer  the  indictment.  His  own  recogniz- 
ance was  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  and  two  sure- 
ties of  five  hundred  dollars  each.  Paul  Mosher,  Corydon 
Fox,  Edward  Giddings,  and  Ebenezer  Perry,  were  at  the 
same  time  recognized  to  appear  as  witnesses  at  the  same 
term. 

In  the  course  of  the  investigations  before  the  grand  jury 
at  this  court,  it  was  ascertained  that  Col.  King  was  at  can- 
tonment Towson,  at  one  of  the  farther  extremities  of  the 
territory  of  Arkansas.  Smith  and  Whitney  were  also  be- 
lieved to  be  residing  somewhere  in  the  valley  of  the  lower 
Mississippi,  and  the  idea  was  suggested  of  sending  a  spe- 
cial commission  to  apprehend  and  bring  all  three  back  as 
fugitives  from  justice.  The  testimony  produced  to  the 
grand  jury,  would  have  warranted  the  indictment  of  Col. 
King,  as  one  of  those  most  deeply  involved  in  the  great 
crime.  But  Gen.  Whiting,  the  District  Attorney,  had  spe- 
cial reasons  for  not  wishing  his  indictment  in  that  county. 
After  the  lising  of  the  court,  this  officer  entered  into  a  full 


LETTER  XXVIII.  28! ' 

correspondence  with  Gov.  Clinton  upon  the  subject  of  the 
additional  disclosures,  furnishing  him  with  a  transcript  of 
the  testimony  taken  before  the  grand  jury,  and  suggesting 
the  expediency  of  deputing  messengers  to  the  far  west,  in 
search  of  the  fugitives.  The  Governor  entered  fully  and 
cordially  into  his  views  upon  the  subject,  and  the  trust  was 
confided  to  Mr.  James  Garlinghouse,  sheriff  of  Ontario,  and 
Mr.  Phincas  P.  Bates,  the  late  sheriff.  It  being  understood 
that  King  was  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  at  a 
military  post.  Gov.  C.  opened  a  correspondence  with  the 
War  Department  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  necessary 
orders,  to  secure  the  assistance  of  the  officers  at  the  remote 
military  posts  of  the  west,  and  such  other  facilities  as  might 
the  more  effectually  insure  the  success  of  the  mission.  Gov. 
Barbour,  then  at  the  head  of  the  War  Department,  compli- 
ed most  readily  with  the  request  from  Gov.  Clinton,  and 
the  officers  departed  with  every  reasonable  encouragement 
of  success. 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly,  &c. 


LETTER    XXVIII. 

New- York,  March  1,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  result  of  the  preceding  trial  gave  no  satisfaction 
to  the  public.  The  acquittal  of  the  defendants  was  clearly 
just,  according  to  the  evidence ;  but  the  excited  multitude 
were  bent  on  having  somebody  punished,  and  it  is  at  no 
time  an  easy  task  to  make  the  great  body  of  the  people  per- 
ceive the  nice  distinctions  of  the  law.  There  was  conse- 
quently much  additional  clamor,  and  the  excitement,  which 
had  not  raged  quite  so  furiously  during  the  summer  solstice, 

again  bade  fair  to  blaze  forth   in  all   its  primitive  fervor. 

86 


282  LETTER  XXVIII. 

There  were  causes,  other  than  the  pubhc  diHappointmcnt 
at  the  result  of  the  trial,  moreover,  that  contributed  to  hi- 
fuse  fresh  activity  into  the  angry  elements.  Immediately 
after  the  defendants  w^ere  acquitted  at  Canandaigua,  a  pub- 
lication appeared  at  Rochester,  purporting  to  give  a  correct 
and  true  account  of  all  that  had  taken  place  at  Niagara, 
respecting  Morgan,  from  the  moment  he  is  lost  sight  of  in 
the  testimony  as  given  by  Sibley,  of  the  confessions  of  Sey- 
mour. The  facts  detailed  in  that  account,  if  true,  were 
such  as  to  harrow  up  the  souls  of  all  who  read  them.  By 
some  means  or  other,  likewise,  the  substance  of  various  hor- 
rible disclosures,  said  to  have  been  made  to  the  grand  jury 
of  Ontario,  during  the  recent  sittings  of  the  court,  found 
their  way  into  the  newspapers  ;  and  the  public  mind  at 
once  became  highly  inflamed.  Those  salutary  principles 
of  the  law,  which  have  been  estabhshed,  as  well  for  the  se- 
curity of  innocence,  when  unjustly  accused,  as  to  prevent 
the  escape  of  the  guilty,  were  entirely  lost  sight  of ;  and  po- 
pular prejudice,  refusing  to  listen  for  a  moment  to  the  dic- 
tates of  reason,  could  only  perceive  more  distinctly  in  each 
successive  trial,  the  power  of  the  strong  and  invisible  ann 
of  Freemasonry. 

There  were  other  causes,  likewise,  contributing  to  keep 
the  feeling  alive,  and  even  to  increase  it.  The  annual  elec- 
tions of  this  state  now  rajndly  approached;  and  the  oppo- 
nents of  Freemasomy  were  seen  on  all  sides,  at  the  west, 
arraying  themselves  under  the  new  and  singular  banner  of 
Anti-masonry.  There  is  probably  no  state  in  the  Union, 
where  the  elections  are  more  earnestly  contested  than  in 
New- York,  or  where  the  parties  are  more  thoroughly  dis- 
ciplined—particularly the  party,  at  present,  and  for  several 
years  past,  composing  the  majority.  But  wherever  the 
Anti-masons  had  carried  the  Morgan  (question  to  the  polls 
at  the  town  elections  early  in  the  })rece(ling  spring,  with  ve- 
ry few  cxceptiojis,  they  had  Ihxm)  siiccessfnl  over   both   of 


LETTER  xxviir.  283 

the  old  parlies  ;  and  by  their  dispositions  for  the  coming 
contest,  (the  first  week  in  November,)  it  was  very  evident 
they  had  no  design  of  losing  an  inch  of  the  ground  already 
obtained.  Neither  of  the  previously  existing  parties,  how- 
ever, could  at  first  be  made  seriously  to  believe  that  such  a 
party  as  this,  organized  upon  principles,  and  avowedly  for 
the  attainment  of  objects,  wholly  distinct  from  those  hereto- 
fore connected  in  any  manner  with  either  our  state  or  na- 
tional politics,  could  obtain  any  extensive  or  durable  foot- 
hold in  the  country.  But  pamphlets,  and  handbills,  and  ar- 
guments, and  all  the  usual  ammunition  for  the  prosecution 
of  an  electioneering  campaign,  were  alike  thrown  away 
upon  the  converts  to  the  new  party.  To  every  appeal, 
the  reply  was — "  Where  is  Morgan  ?"  "  Bring  us  back 
Morgan."    "  Down  with  all  secret  societies." 

Eli  Bruce  yet  held  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Niagara  ;  and 
the  people,  without  heeding  the  causes  which  had  hitherto 
prevented  the  decision  of  his  excellency  the  Governor  in 
that  case,  murmured  loudly  against  that  revered  chief  ma- 
gistrate for  the  delay ;  and  the  circumstance  was  used  to 
the  best  advantage  by  those  who  had  embarked  their  for- 
tunes with  the  disciples  of  the  new  political  creed.  This 
weapon,  however,  was  wrested  from  them  on  the  1st  of 
October,  by  the  appearance  of  the  Governor's  proclama- 
tion, for  the  removal  of  the  offending  sheriff.  Fault  had 
been  found,  most  unjustly,  with  the  tone  of  the  earlier  pro- 
clamations of  his  excellency  upon  the  subject  of  the  abduc- 
tion. But  with  this  there  was,  I  believe,  no  complaint  on 
that  score :  it  was  sufficiently  energetic  and  decisive  even  for 
the  most  zealous  Anti-mason.  This  proclamation  set  forth 
that  the  delinquent  officer  "  had  been  heard  in  his  defence  ;" 
that  "  in  the  investigation  of  the  accusation,  it  appeared  that 
"  it  was  completely  in  the  power  of  the  accused,  if  innocent, 
"  to  establish  his  innocence  ;"  that  "  in  order  to  afford  him 
"  an  opportunity  for  that  purpose,  the.  decision  on  the  com- 


284  LETTER  xxviir. 

"  plaint  had  boen  suspended  for  an  ample  time,  but  that  ho 
"  had  given  no  explanation  of  his  conduct."  It  also  set  forth 
the  fact,  that  at  the  recent  trials  at  Canandaigua,  when  call- 
ed upon  as  a  witness,  "  he  refused  to  testify  on  several 
"  material  points,  on  the  ground  of  self-crimination  ;"  from 
all  of  which  the  Governor  declared  his  belief,  "that  he  was 
"  a  participant  in  the  said  abduction,  and  had  thereby  ren- 
"  dered  himself  unworthy  of  the  official  station  which  he 
"  occupied,"  &c.  ; — for  which  reasons  his  removal  from  the 
said  office  was  definitively  pronounced. 

But  an  incident  of  an  unlocked  for,  and,  in  its  consequen- 
ces, of  a  most  extraordinary  character,  followed  so  closely 
upon  the  heels  of  this  proclamation,  that  the  political  friends 
of  Governor  Clinton,  among  whom  I  had  the  happiness  to 
bear  a  part,  were  not  enabled  to  turn  it  to  the  smallest  pos- 
sible advantage.     On  the  7th  of  October,  1827,  the  body  of 
a  stranger,  who  had  been  drowned,  and  washed  ashore  by 
the  surf,  was  discovered  upon  the  beach  of  Lake  Ontario,  at 
the  entrance  of  Oak  Orchard  Creek,  about  forty  miles  from 
Niagara,  on   the  American   territory.     An  event  of  this 
description  is  by  no  means  unusual  on  the  coasts  of  naviga- 
ble waters ;  and  in  tlie  regular  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the 
living  towards  the  dead,  in  such  cases,  a  coroner  was  called 
on  the  present  occasion,  and  an  inquest  held,  which  resulted 
in  the  body  being  pronounced  that  of  some  person  to  the 
jury  unknown,  who  had  perished  by  drowning.     It  was 
thereupon  decently  interred.     It  was  much  bloated,  and  in 
a  highly  putrid  state,  when  discovered.     It  was  therefore 
necessary  to  commit   it  to  the  earth  with  all  convenient 
speed.     So  far,  there  was  nothing  worthy  of  note  in  the 
occurrence.     But   the   scenes  which  followed,  were  of  a 
truly  extraordinary  character ; — presenting  one  of  the  stron- 
gest illustrations  afforded  in  all  history,  of  the  easy  mastery 
which  an  excited   imagination   sometimes  obtains  over  the 
human  understanding,  and  also  oi"  the  general   sympathy 


LETTEK  XXVIII.  285 

which  exists  between  difTerent  minds  wiien  wrought  upon 
by  the  same  causes.  ,  "  When  the  common  feehng  of  dan- 
"  ger,  and  the  animating  burst  of  enthusiasm,"  says  Sir 
Waher  Scott,  '•  act  on  the  feehngs  of  many  men  at  once, 
"  their  minds  hold  a  natural  correspondence  with  each 
"  other,  as  it  is  said  is  the  case  with  stringed  instruments 
"  tuned  to  the  same  pitch,  of  which  when  one  is  played,  the 
"  chords  of  the  otliers  are  supposed  to  vibrate  in  unison  with 
"  the  tones  produced." 

The  little  mound  had  scarce  been  raised,  and  the  turf 
planted  upon  the  stranger's  grave,  before  it  was  unluckily 
suggested  by  somebody,  that  the  body  might  possibly  have 
been  that  of  William  Morgan  !  The  name  was  no  sooner 
pronounced,  than  the  report  spread,  with  electrical  rapidity, 
that  the  body  of  Morgan  had  actually  been  washed  on 
shore  at  Oak  Orchard  Creek,  and  that  he  was  hastily  bu- 
ried by  those  who  had  know^n  him  when  living.  Nothing 
could  have  been  better  calculated  to  awaken  the  sensibili- 
ties of  the  people,  and  rekindle  the  embers  of  the  excitement, 
which,  though  they  had  never  been  quenched,  were  burning 
with  less  intensity  than  when  the  fires  burst  forth  in  their 
primitive  wrath,  than  such  a  report.  The  utter  improba- 
bility, or,  rather,  the  physical  impossibility,  that  the  body 
of  a  drowned  man  could  have  been  so  far  preserved  in  the 
waters  of  Ontario,  regardless  alike  of  the  hunger  of  the 
fishes,  the  action  of  the  waves,  and  the  heat  of  a  summer's 
sun,  for  the  long  period  of  thirteen  months,  as  to  be  identifi- 
ed, seems  never  once  to  have  occurred  to  the  people  on  this 
occasion.  Or,  if  such  a  doubt  was  suggested,  the  prompt 
reply  was — "  Murder  will  out!"  and  it  was  fiercely  contend- 
ed that  heaven  itself  had  directly  interposed  a  miracle,  that 
the  murderers  might  no  longer  escape  the  vengeance  of  the 
offended  laws.  The  whole  country,  therefore,  rang  with 
the  exclamation — "  Morgan  is  found."  Even  here,  in  New 
York,  I  was  startled  from  my  sleep,  early  in  the  morning, 


286  LETTER  XXVIII. 

immediately  on  the  arrival  of  one  of  the  Albany  steam- 
boats, by  a  herald  from  the  county  of  Monroe,  who  could 
not  repair  to  his  hotel  until  he  had  announced  to  me  the 
brief  message — "  Morgan's  body  has  been  Ibund  !" 

No  sooner  had  the  reports  of  the  discovery  spread  to 
Rochester  and  Batavia,  than  the  members  of  the  respective 
committees  of  investigation  hastened  to  the  county  of  Or- 
leans, where  the  body  had  been  driven  ashore,  and  on  Sat- 
urday, the  13th  of  October,  they  repaired  to  the  grave,  and 
caused  it  to  be  disinterred  and  examined.  A  variety  of 
striking  resemblances  were  at  once  discovered  between  the 
body,  putrid,  and  black,  and  swollen  as  it  was,  and  their  re- 
collections of  William  Morgan.  Indeed  so  strongly  were 
these  gentlemen  impressed  with  the  belief  that  it  was  none 
other  than  the  remains  of  the  absentee,  that  they  took  mea- 
sures for  holding  another  inquest,  and  caused  the  body  to 
be  carefully  guarded,  lest  it  should  be  stolen  away  by  the 
Masons,  until  they  could  make  arrangements  for  that  pur- 
pose. Mrs.  Morgan  was  sent  for,  together  with  various 
witnesses  from  Rochester  and  Batavia,  who  had  known 
Morgan  most  intimately  in  his  life-time  ;  and  on  Monday, 
the  15th,  a  second  inquest  was  held,  in  the  midst  of  a  largo 
collection  of  people,  who  had  spontaneously  assembled  ;  for 
every  bosom  now  glowed  anew  with  the  excitement.  Even 
the  conspirators  themselves  began  to  fear  for  the  result,  and 
sent  their  counsel — and  they  had  a  large  portion  of  the  bar 
constantly  in  pa}^ — to  see  that  no  unfair  means  were  adopted 
to  create  an  impression  that  the  body  was  that  of  Morgan, 
without  good  and  sufficient  proof.  The  trial  for  poor  Mrs. 
Morgan  was  painful  beyond  description.  Not  only  to  have 
all  her  wounds  thus  torn  open  afresh,  but  to  be  compelled 
to  examine  the  remains  of  one  whom  she  came  prei)ared 
to  believe  had  actually  been  the  husband  of  her  bosom,  in 
their  present  loathsome  condition — awakening,  as  it  must, 
every  painful    sensation  she  had   already  sufTcrcd — must 


LETTER  XXVIII.  287 

have  been  a  task  almost  beyond  the  enckirance  of  woman. 
The  examinations  were  protracted  and  minute,  and  several 
witnesses  were  sworn,  who  had  known  Morgan  intimately. 
Among  them  were  two  physicians,  of  whom,  a  few  years 
previously,  he  had  been  a  patient,  at  Rochester.     And  the 
resemblances  between  the  living  and  the  dead,  were  most 
striking  and  remarkable.     Mrs.  Morgan  had  not  a  particle 
of  doubt  of  the  identity  of  the  body — fully  believing  it  to  be 
that  of  her  husband.     It  was  bald,  and  had  a  grey  beard, 
with  long  white  hairs  in  the  ears.     It  had  much  hair  upon 
the  breast  ;  the  leit  arm  had  the  mark  of  inoculation  upon 
it  ;  the  teeth  wx^re  double  all  round  :  and  in  all   these  re- 
spects, the  resemblances  were  said  to  be  exact.     Two  of 
Morgan's  teeth  had  been  extracted  :  the  dentist  who  had 
extracted  them  was   now  present,  having  the  teeth  with 
him  ; — the  body  before  them  had  also  had  two  teeth  extract- 
ed on  the  same  side  of  the  face,  and  the  teeth  held  by  tbe 
dentist,  fitted  them  as  exactly  as  though  they  had  been  drawn 
from  thence  ;  while  tlie  hair,  hands,  feet,  nails,  fingers,  and 
toes,  in  Mrs.  Morgan's  opinion,  were  exactly  like  those  of 
her   husband.     A  surgical   operation  had  been  performed 
upon  the  large  toe  of  the  left  foot,  which  gave  it  a  peculiar 
conformation  ;  and  precisely  so  was  it  with  the  body  under 
examination.     In  short,  it  appeared,  most  conclusively,  and 
beyond  a  doubt,  from  the  testimony  of  many  witnesses,  phy- 
sicians  and   others,  that   the  body  was  that  of  William 
Morgan,  and  none  other.     Only  one  difficulty  remained, 
and  that  was  a  mere  trifle  :  there  was  not  a  single  article  of 
the  clothes  found  upon  the  deceased, — no   portion   of  his 
dress  whatever — that  had  belonged  to  Mr.  Morgan.     Mrs. 
Morgan,  and  various  others,  testified  to  his  apparel,  minute- 
ly, and  no  doubt  truly  ;  and  neither  shoes,  stockings,  shirt, 
cravat,  vest,  coat  nor  pantaloons,  corresponded  with  those 
of  Morgan,  either  in  form,  texture,   or  material.*    And  a 
number  of  religious  tracts  were  found  iii  the  pockets  of  the 


288  LETTER  XXVIII. 

deceased,  not  of  American,  but  of  English  typography — 
issued  from  the  British  Tract  Society.  These  discrepan- 
cies, however,  were  not  of  the  least  possible  consequence. 
The  body  was  indisputably  that  of  Morgan.  Of  this  fact 
the  testimony  was  decisive.  And  as  for  the  clothes,  why 
the  Masons  were  not  fools  ;  and  when  they  killed  Morgan, 
and  cast  him  into  the  angry  torrent  of  the  Niagara,  they 
took  care  to  change  his  garments,  and  furnish  the  corpse  with 
some  religious  tracts  as  passports  to  the  other  world.  So 
thought,  and  so  reasoned,  the  multitude  ;  and  so  decided 
the  second  coroner's  inquest.  The  body  was  thereupon 
officially  declared,  by  the  inquest,  to  be  that  of  the  long 
lost  and  now  found  WILLIAM  MORGAN. 

The  next  step  was  the  funeral.  The  body  was  removed 
with  great  parade  to  Batavia  ;  a  prodigious  sensation  being 
of  course  created  through  the  country  traversed  by  the 
melancholy  procession.  It  is  scarcely  in  my  power  to  give 
an  adequate  and  just  account  of  the  popular  feeling  at  tliis 
particular  crisis.  Though  I  should  color  ever  so  highly,  the 
picture  would  yet  fall  short  of  the  reality.  The  welkin 
rang  with  the  direst  imprecations,  not  only  upon  the  actual 
murderers  of  Morgan,  but  upon  the  whole  body  of  Free- 
masons, far  and  near,  not  a  man  of  whom  but  was  believed 
to  have  been  acquainted  with  the  murder,  and  consenting 
thereunto.  The  contest  of  the  election  was  thickening,  and 
the  funeral  show  was  not  hastened  too  rapidly.  Meantime 
the  tidings  spread,  and  hundreds  and  thousands  of  people 
once  more  poured  in  upon  the  village  of  Batavia,  to  join  in 
the  funeral  obsequies  of  the  great  Masonic  Martyr.  A 
funeral  discourse  was  preached,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
solemn  services,  the  body  was  once  more  committed  to  its 
kindred  earth,  amidst  the  tears  of  the  widow,  and  the  curses 
of  the  people,  deep  and  bitter,  against  the  Masons.  Then 
what  showers  of  handbills,  and  addresses,  and  appeals  to 
the  passions  of  the  people,  were  sent  forth,  in  clouds,  upon 


LETTER  XXVIII.  289 

the  wings  of  every  breeze.  "  The  majesty  of  the  people  !" 
"  The  triumph  of  justice  over  oppression ;"  "  Morgan's 
"  ghost  walks  unavenged  among  us  ;"  "  Murder  will  out ;" 
"  Masons  have  had  their  day  ;"  "  ^e  that  sheddeth  man's 
"  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed ;"  "  The  voice  of 
"  thy  brother's  blood  cries  to  me  from  the  ground  !"  These, 
and  such-like  expressions,  were  now  the  watch- words  and 
rallying  signals  of  a  political  party ;  and  the  still  small  voice 
of  reason  and  reflection  was  drowned  amid  the  univer- 
sal din. 

But  the  body  that  had  been  so  recently,  and  with  so  much 
pomp  and  circumstance  of  woe,  reinterred,  was  not  yet 
suffered  to  lie  quiet  in  its  repose.  The  Masons,  during  the 
whole  progress  of  the  investigations  respecting  the  body, 
and  the  subsequent  enactment  of  the  funereal  scene,  had 
scouted  the  idea  of  its  being  that  of  Morgan  ;  and  many 
even  denounced  the  mournful  parade,  as  an  unreal  mockery 
of  woe,  for  political  eflect.  With  some  of  the  participators 
in  the  proceedings,  there  might  have  been  justice  in  the  im- 
putation. But  it  was  not  so  in  respect  to  the  multitude.  With 
them,  there  was  no  affectation  in  the  matter.  They  believ- 
ed what  they  heard,  and  were  inspired  with  feelings  of  holy 
indignation  at  what  they  believed.  Be  that  as  it  may,  how- 
ever, an  advertisement  which  appeared  in  one  of  the  Can- 
ada papers,  near  the  frontier,  happened  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  some  of  the  persons  interested  in  proving  that 
the  disputed  body  was  not  that  of  Morgan,  and  it  was  the 
means  of  an  eclaircissement,  of  an  astounding  character  to 
all  those  engaged  in  the  scenes  I  have  just  been  describing. 
From  this  advertisement  it  appeared,  that  in  the  month  of 
September,  then  last  past — that  is  to  say,  some  five  or  six 
weeks  before  the  last  interment,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Ti- 
mothy Monroe,  of  the  town  of  Clarke,  in  New  Castle  Dis- 
trict, Upper  Canada,  having  gone  in  a  boat  to  Newark,  was 

drowned  in  the  Niagara  river,  while  on  his  reWn.     A  de- 

87 


290  LETTER  XXVIII. 

scription  of  his  person,  bis  clothes,  his  cravat,  and  the  tracts, 
at  once  pointed  to  the  body  found  at  the  mouth  of  Oak  Or- 
chard Creek,  as  that  of  this  same  Timothy  Monroe  ;  and  a 
reward  of  one  hundred  dollars  was  offered  for  its  discovery. 
The  widow  of  Monroe,  and  her  son,  were  soon  apprised  of 
the  transactions  detailed  above.  She  therefore  came  directly 
on,  accompanied  by  the  young  man,  and  a  friend  who  was 
acquainted  with  her  deceased  husband.  It  was  charged 
upon  the  Morgan  conspirators,  that  she  had  been  informed 
by  them  of  the  circumstances  respecting  the  body,  and  that 
the  expenses  of  her  journey  were  also  paid  by  them.  But 
whether  this  charge  be  true  or  not  is  of  no  consequence, 
since  these  circumstances  could  neither  alter  the  truth,  now 
about  to  be  developed,  nor  make  one  hair  of  the  deceased 
white  or  black.  Mrs.  Monroe  came  over  to  the  county  of 
Orleans,  and  was  first  examined  by  three  members  of  the 
Lewiston  committee,  as  to  the  clothes  that  had  been  found 
upon  the  body  of  the  deceased  ;  and  here,  again,  there  could 
be  no  mistake.  The  clothes,  every  article  of  them,  -were 
those  of  her  husband, — those  which  he  had  on  when  upset 
from  his  boat  in  the  Niagara,  and  the  tracts  had  been  seen 
in  his  possession  at  Newark,  on  the  day  he  was  lost.  In 
regard  to  his  apparel,  there  were  a  variety  of  circumstances 
and  marks,  and  peculiarities  touching  the  various  garments, 
about  which  there  could  be  no  diversity  of  opinion.  The 
color ;  the  description  of  cloth ;  the  flannel  shirt,  which 
Morgan  had  not ;  the  fashion  of  the  garments,  and  even 
the  particular  darnings  of  the  stockings,  were  all  minutely 
described,  and  marks  referred  to  which  had  not  been  de- 
tected by  the  committee,  that  made  the  matter  certain.  Re- 
specting the  pantaloons,  the  son  had  purchased  the  cloth : 
and  his  mother  had  cut  and  made  them.  The  pattern  be- 
ing scant,  a  part  of  one  of  the  legs  had  been  eked  out  with 
another  piece  of  cloth,  &c.  Mrs.  M.  then  proceeded  to 
Batavia,  where  the  corrupting  spectacle  of  mortality  was 


LETTER  XXVIII.  291 

once  more  torn  from  the  embrace  of  its  parent  earth,  and  a 
third  coroner's  inquest  held  upon  it.  Another  close  examina- 
tion succeeded,  in  which  many  of  the  former  resemblances 
between  this  body  and  Morgan,  were  not  now  discovera- 
ble ;  and  among  others,  on  a  re-examination,  it  was  found 
that  the  teeth  had  not  the  peculiar  and  distinguishing  char- 
acteristic of  being  double  all  round  in  front,  as  was  the  case 
with  Morgan,  and  five  had  been  extracted  from  this  body, 
whereas  Morgan  had  lost  but  two.  In  short,  without  de- 
scending into  further  particulars,  it  now  appeared  beyond 
doubt  or  cavil,  that  the  body  was  that  of  TIMOTHY 
MONROE,  late  of  Upper  Canada. 

This  result  was  received  with  high  satisfaction  by  the 
western  Masons,  generally.  Those  who  had  been  engaged  in 
the  conspiracy,  had  their  own  reasons  for  rejoicing  at  the 
discovery  of  the  truth  of  this  matter,  proving  that  it  was 
not  the  body  of  Morgan  ;  while  the  still  greater  number  of 
the  order,  who  were  yet  hoping  against  hope,  that  the  out- 
rage was  not  so  great  as  had  been  charged,  and  that  Mor- 
gan might  yet  be  brought  to  light  and  life — but  who,  in  any 
event,  were  determined  not  to  give  up  Masonry  on  compul- 
sion— had  yet  room  to  hope  on  still.  But  the  discovery  of 
the  mistake,  to  call  it  by  no  harsher  name,  came  too  late  to 
create  a  re-action  in  a  political  sense.  The  last  coroner's 
inquest  sat  on  the  29th  of  October.  The  election  com- 
menced on  the  following  Monday.  And  under  the  watch- 
words which  I  have  already  indicated,  the  new  party 
achieved  a  victory  in  several  of  the  agitated  counties,  of  the 
most  decisive  description.  Serious  inroads  were  made  in 
others  ;  and  from  that  day  to  the  present,  I  have  seen  no 
diminution  of  their  numbers,  nor  marked  any  abatement  of 
their  energy. 

As  it  is  my  purpose  to  embody  facts  rather  than  to  in- 
dulge in  speculations,  in  these  desultory  essays,  I  shall  not 
stop  to  remark  at  length  upon  the  extraordinary  incidents  of 


292  LETTER  XXVIII. 

the  preceding  narrative.  I  question  not  the  integrity  of 
the  majority  of  the  actors  in  these  scenes ;  and  the  witnesses 
who  so  completely  established  the  fact  that  the  body  of 
Timothy  Monroe  was  actually  that  of  William  Mor- 
gan, are  not  in  the  least  obnoxious  to  censure  on  the 
score  of  veracity.  But  the  case  presents  one  of  the  strong- 
est instances  within  my  recollection,  of  the  eliects  of  a  po- 
pular delusion  upon  the  human  mind — and  it  may  perhaps 
afford  a  suitable  subject  of  philosophical  investigation  for 
some  future  Dugald  Stuart. 

Although  it  came  too  late  for  political  effect,  yet  there 
was  somewhat  of  a  re-action,  after  the  exposition  of  the 
case  of  Monroe's  body.     A  large  public  meeting  was  held 
at  Rochester,  and  several  addresses  were  delivered — some 
of  them,  however,  by  the  counsellors  of  the  conspirators ; 
but  this  fact  was  lost  sight  of  for  the  moment,  in  the  indig- 
nation felt  at  the  imposture.     'A  series  of  resolutions  was 
likewise  adopted,  well  written,  temperate,  and  dignified.   In 
these  it  was  declared,  as  the  opinion  of  the  meeting,  that 
the  committees  of  investigation  had  exceeded  their  instruc- 
tions, and  perverted  the  sacred  cause  in  which  they  had 
engaged,  to  political  and  prescriptive  purposes.      It  was 
declared  that  the  eflbrts  of  tliose   committees   ought   to 
have  been  merely  auxiliary  to  the  ministers  of  justice,  and 
that  in  the  exercise  of  the  powers  confided  to  them,  they 
ought  to  have  confined  themselves  exclusively  to  such  acts 
as  were  necessary  and  proper  to  bring  the  perpetrators  of 
the  outrage  to  legal  trial  and  punishment.      They  were 
charged  with  having  proscribed  a  large  and  respectable 
portion  of  the  people  without  proof,  censuring  individuals  up- 
on mere  suspicion,  and  with  attempting  to  organize  political 
parties  for  the  promotion  of  selfish  and  ambitious  purposes  ; 
with  breaking  up  families,  and  exciting  neighbors  against 
neighbors.     The  meeting  pledged  itself  to  use  all  possible 
exertions  to  discover  the  falc  of  Morgan,  and  to  bring  the 


Lj^TTER  xxvin.  293 

porpe!ra!ors  of  iho  outrage  to  punishment ;  and  in  conclu- 
sion, they  denounced  the  Morgan  comm  ittce  as  altogether 
unworthy  of  (he  public  confidence.  In  the  aspect  of  the 
case,  as  it  was  then  presented,  thcvse  resolutions  appeared 
very  just  and  proper.  But  the  people,  who  were  some- 
w^hat  indignant  at  first,  soon  returned  to  their  former  state 
of  feeling ;  and  in  the  end  it  appeared  that  some  of  the  con- 
spirators themselves,  or  at  least  those  who  had  even  aided 
them  by  money  to  abscond,  were  at  the  bottom  of  this  meeting. 
Whilst  the  proceedings  in  regard  to  the  body  of  Monroe 
were  going  forward,  a  circumstance  occured  at  Buffalo,  of 
rather  a  singular  description,  which  created  considerable 
interest  for  some  time,  and  occasioned,  but  for  the  moment 
only,  a  partial  diversion  from  the  fresh  impulse  given  to  the 
excitement  at  Batavia.  A  man  calling  himself  R.  H.  Hill, 
came  voluntarily  forv/ard,  avowed  himself  the  principal  of 
the  murderers  of  Morgan,  and  surrendered  his  person  to 
the  civil  authorities.  He  was  thrown  into  prison,  where  he 
wrote  a  confession  of  his  participation  in  the  bloody  trans- 
action. He  declared  that  he  had  been  induced  to  make  the 
acknowledgment  from  the  stings  of  conscience,  for  having 
assisted  in  taking  the  life  of  a  man  whom  he  had  never  seen 
before.  He  would  not, disclose  the  names  of  any  of  his  as- 
sociates, inasmuch  as  they  had  each  bound  themselves,  by 
the  most  solemn  and  fearful  oaths,  that,  should  either  of 
them  ever  be  detected,  they  were  to  abide  the  penalty  of 
the  law,  without  betraying  the  names  of  either.  He  de- 
clared himself  ready  and  willing,  nay,  anxious,  to  under- 
go that  penalty,  and  seemed  pious  and  penitent.  As  the 
crime  was  supposed  to  have  been  committed  in  the  county 
of  Niagara,  Hill  was  transferred  to  the  jail  in  Lockport^ 
where  he  was  kept  until  the  empannclling  of  the  first  grand 
jury.  He  then  went  before  that  body  and  repeated  his  con- 
fessions. Rut  his  tale,  unsupported  by  any  other  evidence, 
and  uncorroborated  by  circumstances,  was.  discredited,  and 


294  LETTER  XXVIII. 

he  was  ultimately  discharged  as  one  having  a  mind  diseas- 
ed. Since  his  liberation,  1  have  never  heard  a  syllable  of 
or  from  him. 

The  year  1827,  however,  was  not  to  pass  away  without 
one  further  illustration  of  human  weakness  and  credulity. 
Almost  from  the  origin  of  the  Anti-masonic  excitement,  the 
country  had  been  infested  with  mountebank  Anti-masonic 
professors  of  Masonry,  travelling  about  from  village  to  vil- 
lage, giving  lectures  upon  the  subject,  and  professing  to  pre- 
sent the  public  with  practical  representations  of  the  process  of 
working  in  lodges,  and  conferring  the  various  degrees  of  Ma- 
sonry. These  exhibitions  have,  for  the  most  part,  been  made 
for  lucre,  after  the  example  of  strolling  professors  of  slight- 
of-hand  dexterity,  the  feats  of  fire-eaters,  sword-swallowers, 
&;c.  Among  the  earliest  of  these  travelling  merchants  of 
vendible  nonsense,  was  a  man  named  Thomas  Hamilton. 
His  character  will  appear  presently.  Although  a  very  ig- 
norant man,  he  was,  in  truth  and  in  fact,  one  of  the  boldest, 
most  impudent,  and,  for  a  time,  most  successful  of  im- 
postors. He  had  the  art,  for  several  weeks,  of  imposing 
himself  upon  a  portion  of  the  religious  community,  and 
succeeded  tolerably  well.  Having,  however,  been  a  Free- 
mason, and  seeing  how  well  the  illustrations  of  Masonry 
by  Morgan,  had  taken  with  the  western  public,  he  resolved 
to  turn  the  same  thing  to  his  own  private  account.  He  ac- 
cordingly commenced  delivering  lectures  against  the  craft, 
and  preaching  Anti-masonry.  Crowds  of  people  thronged 
his  exhibitions  ;  and  many  were  the  towns  he  visited  where 
the  excitement  had  not  yet  broken  out,  but  which  he  speedi- 
ly wrought  up  almost  into  a  state  of  delirium  upon  the  sub- 
ject. Not  content,  however,  with  this  harvest  of  populari- 
ty, he  must  needs  play  the  hero,  and  become  all  but  a  second 
jifiartyr  to  the  cause  he  had  espoused.  He  was  an  intem- 
perate man,  and  having,  on  one  occasion,  while  engaged  in 
the  work  of  imparting  intellectual  light  to  the  good  people 


LETTER  XXVIII.  295 

of  Avon,  imposed  too  heavy  a  quantity  of  alcohol  upon  hia 
stomach,  became  sick,  and  a  portion  of  what  he  had  sv^'al- 
lovi^ed  was  ejected.  The  landlord  was  a  Mason  ;  of  which 
fact  he  availed  himself,  in  connexion  with  the  circumstance 
of  the  undesigned  emetic  he  had  taken,  to  prefer  a  charge 
against  his  host,  of  an  attempted  assassination  of  his  pre- 
cious self.  A  full  account  of  the  suspicious  circumstances' 
was  written,  certified  to  by  five  respectable  citizens  of  Avon, 
and  published  in  the  new^spapers  under  his  own  hand.  The 
poor  landlord  was  astounded ;  but  there  was  no  resisting 
the  popular  prejudice  against  his  caste,  and  he  was  obliged 
to  submit  to  the  imputation.  He  did  not  submit  quietly, 
how^ever,  but  instituted  an  action  of  slander  against  one 
person  who  had  helped  to  circulate  the  atrocious  calumny.* 
Hamilton,  meantime,  fled  from  that  part  of  the  country,  and 
proceeding  westward  to  Buffalo,  succeeded  in  producing  a 
great  excitement  there.  His  lectures  were  crowded,  as 
they  had  been  in  other  places,  and  he  occasionally  embellish- 
ed his  exercises  with  recitals  of  his  own  personal  persecu- 
tions from  the  Masons,  and  their  blood-thirsty  attempts  up- 
on his  Hfe.  Finally,  the  day  after  he  had  uttered  one  of  his 
bitterest  philippics  against  the  craft,  he  was  missing.  No 
traces  of  him  could  be  discovered ;  and  many  were  the 
dark  surmises  respecting  his  fate  that  were  breathed  forth 
in  mysterious  whispers.  On  the  following  day,  nothing 
could  be  heard  of  Mr.  Hamilton.  But  on  the  next,  there 
was  a  discovery.  News  was  received  that  a  man  had 
been  found  drowned  in  the  Tonawanta  Creek,  but  a  few 
miles  from  Buffalo,  and  the  conviction  flashed  at  once 
upon  the  minds  of  the  good  people,  that  it  must  be  tho 
corpse  of  the  ill-fated  Hamilton.  His  life  had  once  before 
been  attempted ;  and  now,  alas  I  he  had  doubtless  been 
called  to  pay  the  penalty  of  his  masonic  obligation.     The 

♦  The  landloid  recovered  a  handsome  verdict  of  damagcSj  the  jury,  by 
consent,  he'iuir  composed  entirely  of  Anti-masons. 


296  LETTER  XXVIII. 

body  had  been  interred ;  but  no  matter :  a  party  imme- 
diately proceeded  from  Buffalo,  with  witnesses,  and  all  the 
necessary  implements  for  opening  the  grave.  They  arriv- 
ed at  the  spot,  and  the  body  was  speedily  raised  once  more 
above  the  earth.  Happily,  however,  there  was  no  excuse 
for  pronouncing  it  to  be  that  of  Hamilton  ;  and  the  compa- 
ny returned ;  somewhat  disappointed,  it  is  true,  in  the  pre- 
sent result,  but  still  believing  that  the  man  for  whom  they 
were  seeking  had  been  mysteriously  made  away  with.  But 
on  reaching  the  village,  their  anxieties  were  speedily  re- 
moved by  the  martyr  himself.  He  had  just  crawled  forth 
from  a  tippling  stew,  in  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  where 
he  had  been  lying  for  several  days  in  a  state  of  beastly  in- 
toxication. It  was  time  now  for  the  fellow  to  change  his 
theatre  of  action.  He  accordingly  fled  eastward!  y  to  the 
county  of  Ontario, — pursued  his  lecturing  for  a  short  period, 
— was  taken  into  the  domicil,  and  the  confidence,  of  a  kind- 
hearted  Anti-mason-^abused  his  hospitality, — and,  in  the 
end,  attempted  an  outrage  upon  his  daughter,  a  girl  of  ten- 
der age,  for  which  he  was  sentenced  to  the  state-prison  for 
seven  years. 

You  may  suppose,  sir,  that  this  last  is  an  exaggerated 
representation  of  the  extent  to  which  the  credulity  of  the 
people  was  abused  during  the  great  excitement.  But  it  is 
not  so.  The  case  of  Hamilton  affords  but  one  instance, 
although  perhaps  the  most  flagrant.  I  have  recorded  it, 
however,  in  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 

On  or  about  the  1st  of  November,  1827,  Gov.  Clinton 
received  a  communication  from  Gov.  Cass,  of  Michigan,  in- 
closing an  aflidavit  of  an  extraordinary  character.  It  was 
the  deposition  of  Erastus  Ingersoll,  corroborated  by  the 
statement  of  Amos  Mead,  both  of  whom  Gov.  Cass  certifies 
to  be  "  citizens  of  character  and  standing,  incapable  of 
"  stating  any  thing  but  what  they  believe  to  be  true,"  giving 
the  substance  of  a  confession  made  to  them  in  August,  of 


LETTER  XXIX.  2^7 

that  year,  of  a  man  named  Edward  Hopkins.     This  man 
was  at  the  time  a  resident  of  the  county  of  St.  Clair,  in  that 
territory,  lately  from  Upper  Canada,  and  a  native  of  Berk- 
shire, in  the  state  of  Massachusetts.     Hopkins  declared  that 
"  he  knew  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  death  of 
"  Morgan  ;  that  he,  with  others,  had  Morgan  in  charge  se- 
**  veral  days,  at  Niagara,  and  was  present  at,  or  below,  a 
*'  place  called  Schlosser,  on  the  Niagara  river,  where  a  num- 
"  ber  of  persons  were  assembled  with  Morgan,  and  held  a 
"  consultation  on  the  manner  in  which  he  should  be  dispo- 
*'  sed  of,  and  that  it  was  finally  determined  to  send  him 
"  adrift  in  a  canoe  down  the  falls.     He  was  accordingly 
"  put  into  the  canoe,  and  pushed  into  the  rapids  of  the  Nia- 
"  gara,  where  he  perished.     Hopkins  further  stated  that  he 
*'  made  great  efforts  to  save  the  life  of  Morgan,  and  offered 
"  to  become  responsible  for  him,  if  his  companions  would 
"  deliver  him  over  to  his  care, — but  they  refused  to  do  so. 
"  By  whose  hands  the  canoe  was  pushed  off,  Hopkins  could 
"  not  tell,  because  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  perpetrators 
**  of  the  deed."     Mr.  Ingersoll  further  deposed,  that  Hopkins 
was  of  a  good  family,  of  a  respectable  character,  and  a  man 
of  truth  and  veracity.     It  proved  in  the  end,  that  this  story 
could  not  have  been  true  ;  and  I  have  introduced  it  in  this 
place,  only  as  affording  another  instance  of  the  distracting 
uncertainty  which  at  all  times  hung  over  this  fearful  subject, 
and  the  difficulties  by  which  the  prosecutions  were  at  every 
step  environed.     Very  respectfully,  &c. 


LETTER   XXIX. 

New- York,  March  3,  1832. 
Sir, 

In  the  person  of  De  Witt  Clinton,  the  state  of  New- 
York  lost  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments,  and  our  country 

38 


298  LETTER  XXIX. 

a  benefactor  of  noble  mould.  He  died  at  Albany,  on  the? 
evening  of  February  11th,  1828,  very  suddenly, — having 
discharged  his  official  duties  on  that  day,  and  written  seve- 
ral letters  in  the  course  of  the  atternoon.  He  was  sitting 
in  his  office,  or  private  cabinet,  at  the  time  of  his  decease, 
and  had  but  a  few  moments  previously  been  engaged  in  fa- 
miliar conversation  with  his  son.  But,  sndden  as  was  the 
stroke  of  death,  it  was  not  unexpected,  either  by  the  illus- 
trious man  himself,  or  by  his  particular  friends.  It  had 
been  evident  for  a  number  of  months,  that  a  disease  had 
seized  upon  his  constitution,  which,  without  impairing  his 
faculties,  threatened  an  early  and  sudden  termination  of  his 
proud  and  brilliant  career.  Indeed  he  had  been  premonish- 
ed  of  his  situation,  but  a  short  time  before  his  decease,  by  a 
medical  gentleman,  standing  deservedly  high  in  his  confi- 
dence, who  was  his  intimate  friend  in  fife,  and  who  has  test- 
ed the  sincerity  of  his  friendship,  by  an  eloquent  and  well 
earned  tribute  to  his  memory  since  dead.*  When  the  friend- 
ly monition  was  made  to  him,  with  all  possible  delicacy, 
and  not  without  emotion.  Governor  Clhiton  received  the 
solemn  intimation  in  a  manner  characteristic  of  the  man. 
He  paused  for  a  moment,  as  if  indulging  in  deep  refiection  ; 
then  raising  his  head,  with  the  most  perfect  firmness  and 
composure,  he  replied  :  "  I  am  not  afraid  to  die  !'' 

An  eulogy  upon  the  character  of  this  distinguished  man, 
whose  memory  is  yet  green  in  the  affections  of  the  people, 
and  whose  fame  will  long  be  cherished  as  a  rich  portion  of 
the  national  inheritance,  would  be  alike  unnecessary,  and 
foreign  from  the  purpose  of  this  narrative.  Unfortunately, 
however,  in  the  present  era  of  our  political  history,  the  gall 
and  wormwood  of  party,  have  been  infused  not  only  into 
public,  but  into  individual  feeling.  Neither  exalted  talents, 
nor  pqrity  of  character  in  a  public  man,— nur  his  exten&ive 

^  Dr.  David  Unpack. 


LETTER  XXIX.  299 

and  indefatigable  beneficence,  and  splendid  services, — can 
protect  him  from  the  scorpion  sting  of  slander,  while  living, 
if  a  noisy  partizaii  thinks  lie  can  further  his  sordid  views  by 
the  calumny.  And  even  when  he  is  dead, — when  the  pos- 
thumous reward  of  greatness  is  bestowed,  in  the  general 
exhibition  of  those  better  feelings,  which  had  been  controlled 
before  by  rivalry  or  self-interest,  some  hypocritical  tears 
will  be  shed  over  his  remains,  and  sacrilegious  defamation 
will  not  only  dare  to  attempt  by  violence  an  exposure  of  the 
secrets  of  the  grave ;  but  to  deface  his  epitaph,  and  to  stain 
his  spotless  escutcheon.  So  it  was  with  De  Witt  Clinton. 
The  Anti-masonic  party,  as  we  have  seen,  had  already  been 
organized  for  political  purposes  ;  and  it  had  made  a  first 
and  second  demonstration  with  so  much  encouragement  of 
ultimate  success,  that  those  who  had  mounted  upon  the 
whirlwind  of  the  excitement,  were  determined  to  protract 
it,  that  they  might  the  longer  soar  upon  the  tempest.  This 
object  could  be  accomplished  in  no  other  way,  so  effectually, 
as  by  continuing  to  insist  upon  the  positive  guilt  of  the  whole 
masonic  institution,  in  the  matter  of  Morgan,  through  all  its 
extensive  and  distant  ramifications,  and  likewise  to  impli- 
cate its  chief  officers,  and  most  distinguished  men.  De 
Witt  Clinton  was  High  Priest  of  the  General  Grand  Chap- 
ter of  the  United  States,  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was 
for  the  third  time  re-elected  to  that  office  in  September, 
1826,  Gen.  Jackson  having  been  proposed  as  a  candidate 
in  opposition.  His  station,  masonically,  was  the  highest  in 
the  Union  ;  and  whether  viewed  as  a  Freemason,  or  as  a 
statesman,  he  was  the  most  shining  and  elevated  mark  to 
be  aimed  at.  If  effective,  the  blow  would  indeed  be  sig- 
nal ;  because,  if  De  Witt  Clinton  could  be  identified  with 
the  project  for  the  murder  of  Morgan, — if  the  spells  of 
Masonry  could  bind  such  a  man  to  so  damning  a  deed,  how 
much  less  potency  would  be  necessary  to  bring  the  common 
men  of  the  order  into  plans  of  the  deepest  guilt  ? 


300  LETTER  XXIX. 

It  is  but  too  true,  as  wc  have  already  seen,  tliat  the  name 
of  Governor  Clinton  had  been  early  used  at  the  west,  in 
connexion  vs^ith  the  Morgan  outrage.  Nor  w^ere  the  Anti- 
masons  the  first,  or  the  most  to  blame,  for  thus  using  it.  If, 
sir,  you  have  done  me  the  honor  to  read  the  preceding  letters 
in  detail,  you  will  have  seen  that  the  idea  was  generally 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  those  in  the  secret  of  Morgan's 
fate,  on  both  sides  of  the  national  boundary,  that  the  con- 
spirators were  acting  under  orders  from  a  high  masonic 
power.  Sometimes  the  directions  for  suppressing  the  book, 
were  said  to  have  proceeded  from  the  Grand  Lodge  ;  and 
at  others,  the  belief  was  entertained  that  they  came  from  a 
yet  higher  body — the  Grand  Chapter.  To  neither  of  these, 
however,  did  De  Witt  Clinton  then  belong,  but  to  the  still 
higher  body  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United 
States  ; — and  we  shall  see  presently  how  even  that  body, 
though  innocent,  was  near  being  compromised  in  this  la- 
mentable affair.  In  connexion  with  all  these  bodies,  the 
name  of  Clinton  was  used,  because  it  was  identified  with  the 
institution  ;  and  in  general  conversation  there  was  little  dis- 
crimination between  its  separate  branches.  But  it  was  not 
in  this  incidental  manner  alone,  that  the  name  of  Governor 
Clinton  became  associated  with  these  transactions.  There 
is  no  doubt,  that  the  authors  of  the  conspiracy  and  the  abduc- 
tion, were  themselves  guilUj  of  the  additional  crime  of  an 
attempt,  in  the  public  opinion,  to  inculpate  him  in  their  own 
guilt.  Indeed,  it  is  believed,  that  the  leaders  of  the  conspi- 
racy were  enabled  by  the  power  of  his  name  alone,  to  push 
the  subordinates  in  their  plot,  into  its  full  and  fatal  execu- 
tion. For  this  purpose  it  was  not  only  declared  that  they 
had  orders  from  Gov.  Clinton  to  suppress  the  publication  of 
the  book,  but  some  of  the  co-workers  in  the  iniquitous  affair, 
actually  exhibited  a  letter,  purporting  to  have  been  writ- 
ten by  the  Governor,  commanding  the  suppression  of  the 
BOOK  at  all  hazards.     Major  Ganson  is  believed  to  have 


LETTER  XXIX.  301 

been  concerned  in  this  imposture,  although  he  has  certified  to 
the  contrary,  as  will  presently  appear.  He  had  repeatedly 
been  in  the  legislature,  and  was  a  political  friend  of  Gov. 
C.  There  is,  therefore,  reason  to  believe,  that  such  repre- 
sentations, coming  from  him,  sustained  by  the  exhibition  in 
some  places,  of  a  letter,  which  must  have  been  forged,  had 
a  powerful  mfluence  upon  the  minds  of  the  weaker  mem- 
bers of  the  order  ;  and  it  is  possible,  that,  could  a  voice  come 
from  the  grave,  it  would  appear  that  there  was  one,  who,  by 
that  deception,  was  persuaded  to  take  the  deepest  plunge 
into  the  sea  of  guilt.  Be  that,  nevertheless,  as  it  may,  a 
fouler  calumny  was  never  invented,  even  by  the  father  of 
lies  himself. 

It  is  true  that  Gov.  Clinton  was  early  reproached  by  the 
Anti-masonic  papers,  for  an  imputed  want  of  activity  and 
energy  in  pushing  forward  the  investigations.  But  these 
reproaches,  and  other  kindred  calumnies,  were  to  be  expect- 
ed from  zealous  and  unscrupulous  partizans,  in  the  midst 
of  heated  election  contests.  We  should  be  too  happy  in 
our  political  relations,  perhaps,  if  the  blessings  of  our  free 
institutions  were  in  all  respects  unalloyed.  The  strife  and 
bitterness  of  our  elections,  therefore,  and  the  slanders  and 
obloquy  which  candidates  for  public  office,  are  compelled  to 
encounter,  may  be  regarded  as  the  natural  consequences  of 
the  hberty  which  allows  them.  Nor,  in  the  aggregate,  can 
their  endurance  be  counted  a  very  heavy  tax,  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  such  perfect  freedom,  as  that  which  is  guaranteed 
to  American  citizens.  Long  in  political  life,  and  always 
fated  to  encounter  a  fierce,  and,  at  times,  a  remorseless  and 
vindictive  opposition,  Gov.  Clinton  cared  for  these  political 
attacks  far  less  than  most  men.  Conscious,  therefore,  of  his 
own  rectitude  in  this  matter,  the  murmurings  to  which  I  am 
now  referring  were  suffered  to  pass  by  without  notice  or 
regard.  But  when,  in  the  autumn  of  1827,  he  was  specifi- 
cally informed  of  the  higher  calumnies  in  circulation  re- 


302  LETTER  XXIX. 

spocting  him,  at  the  west,  and  of  the  liberty  taken  with  his 
nanne  by  the  conspirators,  h.e  lost  no  time,  as  you  will  per- 
ceive before  the  close  of  the  present  communication,  in 
adopting  such  measures  as  seemed  most  judicious  for  arrest- 
ing the  progress  of  the  atrocious  slander. 

It  was,  I  believe,  during  the  last  visit  of  that  eminent  man 
to  the  city  of  New- York,  that,  unsolicited,  he  placed  in  my 
hands,  with  a  request  that  they  might  be  carefully  perused, 
a  bundle  of  papers,  comprising  a  lai'ge  portion  of  his  cor- 
respondence, and  other  public  documents,  upon  this  subject. 
Of  these  papers,  which  have  been  politely  re-loaned  to  me 
by  his  son  Charles  Clinton,  Esq.,  I  have  already  made 
considerable  use,  in  the  course  of  the  preceding  narrative. 
And  upon  these  papers  alone,  so  far  as  I  have  already 
quoted  them,  I  think  I  might  confidently  appeal  to  you, 
sir,  and  to  the  whole  community,  whether  they  do  not 
amply  redeem  the  character  of  Governor  Clinton  from 
all  insinuations,  imputing  a  want  of  energy,  promptitude, 
and  diligence,  in  the  use  of  all  measures  judged  by  him  to 
be  necessary  and  proper,  in  order  to  expose  to  light  the 
whole  of  those  dark  transactions,  and  bring  the  offenders, 
whoever  they  w^ere,  or  however  many  of  them  there  might 
be,  to  the  tribunals  of  the  law  for  punishment. 

The  earliest  complaint  which  I  recollect  to  have  heard 
from  the  Morgan  committees,  against  the  conduct  of  Gov. 
Clinton,  was  in  reference  to  his  first  and  second  proclama- 
tions. In  the  first,  no  specific  reward  was  offered  for  the 
apprehension  and  punishment  of  the  delinquents  : — in  the 
second,  it  was  contended  that  the  reward  promised  w\is  not 
sufficiently  large  ; — and  I  think  the  same  objection  was 
likewise  urged  against  the  last — with  how  much  reason  will 
be  seen.  In  regard  to  the  first,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  outrage  was  then  supposed  to  have  been  confined 
to  a  very  few  persons  at  Batavia  and  Canandaigua.  Little 
was  known  at  the  time  of  the  extent  of  the  conspiracy  ;  or 


LETTER  XXIX.  803 

of  its  enormity  ;  and  still  less  of  the  difficulty  subsequently 
encountered  in  the  numerous  and  wearisome  endeavors 
that  have  been  made  to  discover  and  punish  the  guilty. 
When  the  first  complaint  was  made  to  the  Governor,  he 
lost  not  a  day  in  issuing  his  proclamation.  His  letter  to  the 
committee,  accompanying  that  proclamation,  has  already 
been  presented  to  your  consideration,  and  need  not  be  re- 
peated here.  In  that  letter  he  pledged  himself,  "  that  no- 
"  thing  should  be  wanting  on  his  part  due  to  the  occasion  and 
"  the  emergency. ^^  And  I  fearlessly  appeal  to  the  candor  of 
any  man  of  good  sense,  to  pronounce,  whether,  under  the 
then  circumstances  of  the  case,  that  first  proclamation  was 
not  of  a  sufficiently  decisive  and  energetic  character  for 
that  "  emergency ;"  and  also,  whether  the  explanation  with 
which  the  proclamation  was  accompanied,  ought  not  to 
have  been  satisfactory.  Was  it  reasonable  to  expect  from 
the  chief  magistrate,  acting  coolly  and  dispassionately,  as  it 
was  his  province  and  his  duty  to  act,  a  more  marked  and 
severe  condemnation  of  the  outrage,  than  is  expressed  in 
the  letter  referred  to  ?  Subsequently,  when  the  transaction 
began  to  assume  a  more  serious  aspect,  a  second  procla- 
mation was  issued,  without  solicitation,  offering  various 
specific  rewards.  vSome  months  subsequently  still,  after  the 
disclosures  respecting  Howard,  and  the  partial  discoveries 
made  by  the  Lewiston  convention  had  reached  the  Gover- 
nor's ears,  a  third  proclamation  was  issued,  oflfering  as  high 
a  reward  as  the  law  would  allow  him  to  propose,  even  to 
the  full  amount  of  the  contingent  funds  in  his  hands.  Nor 
is  this  all :  when  the  Governor  became  apprised  that  Bruce 
was  implicated  in  the  transaction,  he  himself  proposed  that 
a  formal  complaint  should  be  preferred  against  the  delin- 
quent officer,  that  his  conduct  might  be  officially  investiga- 
ted. The  complaint  was  made  ;  and,  although  a  grand  ju- 
ry of  Niagara,  had,  in  a  body,  informed  the  Governor  that 
there  was  no  evidence  of  Moi-gan's  having  been  within 


304  LETTER  XXIX. 

Br uce's  Jurisdiction,  yet  he  was  removed  from  office  in  due 
season,  as  I  have  already  shown.  In  my  view,  sir,  leaving 
entirely  out  of  the  question  the  exalted  character  of  Gov. 
C,  and  the  elevated  standard  of  morals  by  which  he  was 
governed,  these  circumstances  look  very  unlike  any  partici- 
pation in,  or  cognizance  of,  the  conspiracy,  directly  or  in- 
directly, either  by  signal,  word,  or  deed.  If  Gov.  Clinton 
had,  in  any  form  or  manner,  been  previously  apprised  of 
the  conspiracy,  or  had  he  in  any  manner  favored  it,  it  can 
hardly  be  supposed  that  those  who  had  executed  his  purpo- 
ses, would  have  tamely  submitted  to  the  loss  of  character, 
honor,  offices,  and  their  personal  freedom,  without  exposing 
him.  If  they  held  his  written  letters,  they  would  have  been 
exhibited.  If  any  person  had  received  his  approbation  of 
the  plot,  or  his  commands  for  its  execution,  viva  voce,  the 
fact  would  have  been  proclaimed,  and  the  name  of  Clinton, 
"  doubly  dying,"  would  justly  have  gone  down 

To  the  vile  dust  from  whence  it  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhonored,  and  unsung. 

And  yet,  in  the  face  of  all  these  facts,  in  disregard  of  all 
these  circumstances,  the  remains  of  this  eminent  patriot  had 
scarce  become  cold  in  their  grave,  before  the  vile  calumny, 
which,  during  his  lifetime  had  already  been  apparently  ex- 
tinguished, was  revived  in  the  broadest  and  most  cruel  man- 
ner. The  death  of  Clinton  had  thrown  our  state  into  mourn- 
ing, and  created  a  sensation  throughout  the  whole  country, 
equalled  only,  in  recent  times,  by  the  simultaneous  departures 
to  anoth^-  world,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1826,  of  your  illustri- 
ous father,  and  liis  distinguished  colleague  in  the  revolution. 
But  the  funeral  ceremonies  had  scarce  been  concluded,  and 
the  first  shock  of  the  blow  given  place  to  the  more  temper- 
ed, though  equally  unequivocal  evidences  of  deep  and  heart- 
felt grief,  before  the  interested  and  envious  harpies  of  de- 


LETTER  XXIX.  305 

traction  were  at  work.  Wretches  who  would  have  cow- 
ered in  his  presence,  like  the  spaniel  before  the  lion,  or 
shrunk  like  the  fig-tree  withered  before  the  lightning-glance 
of  his  eye,  were  now  engaged  in  poisoning  the  public  ear, 
like  the  arch  fiend  in  reptile  form,  "  squat"  at  the  ear  of  the 
mother  of  men.  Not  content  with  the  repetition  of  the 
stale  falsehoods  in  whispers,  a  portion  of  the  public  press 
was  found  base  enough  to  lend  its  assistance  in  the  ignoble 
project  of  "  staining  with  infamy  a  spotless  name."  As- 
suming daily  a  bolder  and  yet  a  bolder  tone,  one  short 
month  had  not  elapsed,  before  it  was  blasphemously-heralded 
forth,  that  the  deceased  had  been  struck  dead  by  the  aveng- 
ing arm  of  the  Almighty,  for  his  guilty  participation  in  the 
murder  of  Morgan, — to  which,  as  the  climax  of  audacity, 
it  was  soon  added,  that,  stung  with  remorse  at  the  deed 
which  he  had  sanctioned,  he  had  ended  his  life  by  his  own 
hand  !  It  might  well  be  supposed  that  such  gross  and  mon- 
strous fictions  would  have  been  too  much  for  the  popular 
credulity,  and  that  the  most  envenomed  shafts  of  calumny, 
directed  at  such  an  object,  would  fall  harmless  to  the  earth. 
But  "  excited  passion  is  a  whirlwind  that  extinguishes  the 
*'  taper  of  reason, — a  rushing  flood  that  renders  turbid  the 
"  pure  stream  of  the  judgement,  so  that  truth  cannot  be 
"  clearly  discerned."  And  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  add 
my  conviction,  that,  so  far  from  making  no  impression,  or 
leaving  even  a  transient  one,  the  calumny  is  still  at  the 
present  day  widely  circulated,  and  by  many  religiously  be- 
lieved. You,  sir,  have  yourself  informed  me,  although  you 
lent  no  ear  to  the  talc,  that  within  a  few  months  past,  two 
gentlemen  in  Massachusetts,  .of  intelligence  and  respecta- 
bility, had  repeated  the  story  of  Gov.  Clinton's  guilt  in  this 
matter,  both  of  whom  seriously  affirmed  the  existence  of 
two  letters  from  his  own  hand,  proving  the  fact.  And  I  have 
now  before  me  a  printed  address,  under  the  signature  of  N. 
B,  Boileau,  Esq.,  an  old  and  distinguished  politician  of  Penri- 

.39 


306  LETTER  XXIX. 

sylvania,  in  which  the  tale  is  repeated,  without  scruple  or 
qualification,  and  with  an  improvement  which  has  in  no 
other  place  fallen  under  my  observation.  The  charge  of 
Mr.  Boileau,  that  Gov.  Clinton  was  an  accessary  before  the 
fact,  to  the  abduction  and  murder  of  Morgan,  is  explicit. 
Nor  is  Gov.  Clinton  alone  traduced  by  that  gentleman.  Not 
content  with  this  atrocious  libel  of  the  dead,  the  zealous  ca- 
lumniator endeavors  also  to  inculpate  the  governors  of  two 
other  states  in  the  same  transaction  ! 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  publication  of  Mr.  Boileau,  to 
which  I  refer,  and  the  statement  of  the  two  gentlemen  of 
Massachusetts  made  to  yourself  last  autumn,  I  should  pro- 
bably have  omitted  the  present  chapter  in  this  history.  But 
De  Witt  Clinton  is  dead,  and  cannot  answer.  His  fame, 
however,  belongs  to  his  country,  and  it  is  a  high  and  solemn 
duty  incumbent  upon  those  who  were  his  cotemporarics,  to 
preserve  that  fame  in  its  splendor,  and  his  good  name  in  its 
purity.  However  great  a  politician  may  be,  his  memory, 
merely  as  such,  will  scarcely  survive  his  death  for  a  single 
generation,  unless  he  shall  have  identified  his  name  with 
some  great  deed  in  arms,  or  work  of  art ;  by  some  success- 
ful effort  in  the  moral  improvement  of  our  species,  or  some 
project  of  national  magnitude  and  utility,  which  will  stand 
as  an  enduring  monument  of  the  talents  and  enterprise  of 
the  age  in  which  it  was  produced.  It  is  in  this  way  that 
the  name  of  Clinton  belongs  to  posterity.  His  popularity 
will  be  immortal,  because  the  influence  of  his  talents,  and 
the  eflects  of  his  labors,  will  endure  while  our  nation  has  an 
existence.  It  is  from  considerations  like  these,  having  the 
means  in  my  possession,  that  I  have  thought  it  a  part  of  my 
duty,  on  the  present  occasion,  to  step  forward,  and  by  at 
once  silencing  the  calumny,  put  to  shame  tlie  traducers  of 
this  eminent  and  excellent  man. 

Mr.  Boileau,  in  liis  address  to  the  people  of  Pennsylva- 
nia last  autumn,  promulgated  the  calumny  of  which  I  have 


LETTER  XXIX.  307 

been  speaking,  in  the  following  language : — "  A  seceding 
"  Mason  from  New- York,  of  high  character  and  intelli- 
"  gence,  informed  me  that  when  it  was  first  rumored  that 
"  Morgan  was  about  to  reveal  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  a 
"  council  was  held  in  New- York,  by  the  highest  order  of 
"  Masons,  to  consult  on  what  means  should  be  adopted  to 
"  suppress  the  publication ;  at  which  council,  the  Governor 
"  of  New-York,  and  the  Governors  of  two  other  states  as- 
**  sisted  in  the  deliberations,  and  at  that  council  decided  that 
"  the  publication  should  be  suppressed  at  all  hazards,  and 
**  Morgan  put  out  op  the  way.  These  facts  are  corro- 
"  borated  by  the  strongest  circumstances,  furnished  by  the 
^^  judicial  proceedings  which  have  taken  place,  as  well  as 
"  other  circumstances.  Fellow-citizens,  pause  for  a  mo- 
"  ment,  and  view  this  appalling  fact.  Three  chief  execu- 
"  tive  magistrates,  of  three  different  states,  all  sworn  to  see 
^'  the  laws  faithfully  executed.  Yet  under  the  paramount 
"  obligations  of  their  masonic  oaths,  they  deliberately  join  in 
"  council  to  sanction  the  commission  of  a  most  atrocious 
"  crime.  We  say  the  crime  of  MURDER  is  justly  charg- 
"  ed  to  the  masonic  institution,  and  all  those  who  still  ad- 
"  here  to  that  institution  are  totally  unworthy  of  confidence. 
"  The  actual  perpetrators  of  the  crime  deserve  death,"  ifec. 
The  charge  against  Gov.  Clinton  could  scarcely  be  more 
positive  than  in  the  form  in  which  it  is  here  presented.  The 
author  of  the  calumny,  in  its  present  shape,  and  all  his  rea- 
ders, well  knew  that  De  Witt  Clinton  was  Governor  of 
New- York,  at  the  period  referred  to.  Nor  can  Mr.  Boi- 
leau  escape  the  odium  of  the  slander,  upon  the  plea  that  he 
has  only  repeated  a  story  which  had  been  communicated  to 
him  by  others.  Repetition  is  not  all.  He  goes  farther,  and 
indorses  the  statement  himself,  by  the  declaration  that  the 
relation  thus  given,  has  been  "  corroborated  by  the  judicial 
"  proceedings  that  have  taken  place,  as  well  as  by  other  cir- 
''  cumstances.^^  In  bringing  forward  such  an  accusation,  and 


308  LETT^  XXIX. 

attempting  thus  to  sustain  it,  Mr.  Boileau  has  assumed  a 
fearful  responsibility.  The  repetition  of  a  falsehood  told 
by  another,  is  bad  enough ;  but  language  wants  terms  to 
stamp  with  adequate  detestation,  the  man,  who,  to  calum- 
niate the  virtuous  dead,  will  deliberately  coin  a  falsehood 
of  his  own,  to  sustain  that  which  has  been  related  to  him. 
Had  Mr.  Boileau  confined  himself  to  the  repetition  of  the 
falsehood,  I  might  have  suffered  it  to  pass  unchastised. 
But  how  dared  he  assert,  in  the  face  of  the  world,  that  the 
slander  which  he  was  then  posting  on  the  winds  of  heaven, 
had  been  corroborated  by  the  legal  proceedings  of  the 
courts  of  New- York  in  the  premises  ?  He  had  no  right  Jo 
hazard  such  an  assertion,  even  though  that,  also,  had  been 
told  him — which  he  does  not  pretend  was  the  case.  The 
legal  proceedings  of  our  courts  are  matters  of  record ;  and 
the  testimony  elicited  in  the  various  Morgan  trials,  has  been 
amply  reported,  and  has  become  matter  of  history.  It 
woi;dd  have  become  Mr.  B.,  therefore,  before  venturing 
upon  such  a  sweeping  assertion,  involving  character  to  such 
an  extent,  so  important  alike  to  the  feelings  of  the  living, 
and  the  memory  of  the  dead,  to  have  looked  into  the  facts 
of  the  charge  himself.  Had  he  done  so,  he  would  have 
found,  that  there  is  not  a  particle  of  truth,  written  or  un- 
written, in  the  statement  upon  which,  with  such  singular 
•  hardihood  of  assertion,  he  has  presumed  to  venture. 

I  will  not  content  myself,  however,  with  a  mere  empty 
denial  of  this  accusation,  resting  on  my  own  word.  Its 
principal  feature  is  not  new  with  Mr.  Boileau,  as  we  have 
seen,  although  it  has  been  greatly  amplified  in  his  hands. 
%  The  idea  of  this  grand  council  in  New- York,  had  its  origin 
at  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  Anti-masonry ;  and  it 
would  have  been  no  easy  matter  for  Proteus  himself  to  have 
worked  more  transformations,  than  the  story  built  upon  it 
lias  undergone.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  moreover,  while 
every  version  that  I  have  met  with  has  been  essentially 


LETTER  XXIX.  309 

false,  there  was,  in  the  outset,  an  iiiciclent  of  actual  occur- 
rence, which  originally  imparted  to  it  a  semblance  of  truth ; 
so  that,  like  other  historical  romances  of  the  day,  composed 
entirely  of  fiction,  it  was  nevertheless  in  its  origin,  appa- 
rently founded  in  fact.  It  has  long  been  my  purpose  to  en- 
lighten the  public  in  regard  to  the  particular  feature  of  this 
history  to  which  I  have  just  referred  ;  and  I  rejoice  in  the 
present  opportunity,  inasmuch  as  I  confidently  believe  it  to 
be  within  my  power  for  ever  to  put  the  calumny  at  rest. 

You  may  recollect,  sir,  the  statement  in  a  former  letter, 
that  among  the  devices  for  obtaining  possession  of  Mor- 
gan's manuscripts,  a  portion  of  them  were  abstracted  from 
Miller's  office,  by  his  pretended  partner,  Johns,  which  pa- 
pers were  sent  to  New- York,  by  an  express,  to  be  laid  be- 
fore the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United  States,  as- 
sembled in  this  city  in  September,  1826.  Johns  took  these 
papers,  I  believe,  on  the  9th  of  September ;  and  the  mes- 
senger who  brought  them,  resided  at  that  time  in  Roches- 
ter, although  he  was  then,  and  is  yet,  connected  with  a 
press  in  a  more  important  location.  The  General  Grand 
Chapter  commenced  its  sittings  on  the  14th  of  September. 

The  messenger  arrived,  and  presented  the  papers  with 
the  delivery  of  which  he  had  been  charged,  on  the  second 
day  of  the  session,  viz:  on  the  15th.  The  gentleman  ap- 
peared greatly  agitated,  and  seemed  to  think  himself  charg- 
ed with  a  mission  of  high  importance.  Governor  Clinton 
presided  during  that  session,  but  was  not  present  in  the 
chapter  when  this  message  arrived — Mr.  Snow,  of  Ohio, 
being  in  the  chair  of  the  G.  G.  High  Priest  for  the  time  be- 
ing. The  papers  were  presented,  and  referred  to  a  select 
committee,  of  which  my  •  friend  Col.  Knapp,  then  of  Bos^ 
ton,  was  chairman.  This  committee  retired  immediately, 
and  after  some  conversation  with  the  messenger,  became 
satisfied,  that  in  a  moment  of  excitement  at  the  west,  of 
which,  however,  they  had  received  no  previous  intimation, 


310  LETTER  XXIX. 

the  papers  had  been  improperly  obtained.  The  committee, 
therefore,  without  opening  the  papers,  determined  to  report 
immediately  against  receiving  them,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  sent  back  without  delay,  and  delivered  to  the 
owner.  On  returning  into  the  chapter,  they  reported  that 
the  papers  which  had  been  committed  to  them,  appeared  to 
be  private  property, — papers  with  which  the  General  Grand 
Chapter  had  nothing  to  do, — and  they  recommended  that 
the  messenger  be  instructed  to  return,  forthwith,  and  deliv- 
er them  back  to  the  owner.  The  report  was  concurred 
in  by  the  chapter,  without  a  dissenting  voice.  Governor 
Clinton  came  into  the  chapter  afterwards,  during  the  same 
sitting,  and  having  heard  some  intimation  of  what  had  ta- 
ken place,  made  the  inquiries  naturally  arising  from  such 
an  occurrence.  The  facts  were  explained  to  him,  and  he 
declared  emphatically  his  hearty  approbation  of  the  course 
that  had  been  adopted.* 

Such,  sir,  in  the  briefest  possible  terms,  is  the  history  of 
the  real  occurrence,  which  designing  men  have  sought  to 
use  ever  since,  as  proof  that  the  General  Grand  Chapter, 
with  Governor  Clinton  at  its  head,  was  accessary  before 
the  fact,  to  the  murder  of  Morgan.     The  circumstance  that 

♦  Since  this  letter  was  written,  I  have  received  a  pamphlet  of  nearly  200 
pages,  containing  the  report  of  a  committee  of  the  Legislature  of  Rhode 
island,  appointed  to. investigate  the  charges  against  Freemasonry.  Among 
the  witnesses  examined,  was  Moses  Richardson,  who,  in  the  course  of  a 
long  and  very  strange  deposition,  makes  the  following  statement : — "  I  was 
*'  a  member  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter,  which  was  in  session  in  the  city 
"  of  New- York  in  September,  1826,  when  the  news  was  received,  that  Wil- 
"  liam  Morgan  had  been  abducted ;  and  the  lamented  De  Witt  Chnton,  who 
"  presided  at  the  meeting,  immediately  issued  his  proclamation,  and  offered 
"  fifteen  hundred  dollars  reward  for  the  apprehension  of  the  culprits,  and  it 
"  was  published  in  the  newspaper  the  next  day,  which  was  thought  sufH- 
"  cient."  Mr.  Richardson  has  here  fallen  into  a  number  of  ver}'  serious  mis- 
takes, as  will  presently  be  seen  by  other  testimony  than  my  own.  1st.  The 
news  of  Morgan's  abduction  was  not  then  received.  2d.  Gov.  Clinton  M'aa 
not  officially  advised  of  the  abduction  until  the  Gth  of  October — three  weeks 
afterwards.  His  proclamation  was  issued  on  the  7th  of  October,  and  was 
first  pubhshed  about  the  17th,  at  the  west.  Of  course,  it  did  not  appear  "in 
"  the  newspaper  the  next  morning."  It  did  not  offer  1500  dollars,  nor  any 
other  specific  reward.  The  rewards  were  offered  in  subsequent  proclama- 
tions. 


LETTER  XXIX.  311 

a  portion  of  the  manuscripts  were  thus  sent  to  New- York, 
was  known  immediately  afterwards,  and  it  was  that  fact, 
and  that  alone,  from  which  the  implication  of  Gov.  Clinton, 
and  the  distinguished  masonic  gentlemen  then  assembled  in 
New- York,  from  different  parts  of  the  United  States,  in  the 
guilty  transaction,  has  been  inferred.  A  surmise  was  suffi- 
cient, in  the  first  instance,  to  set  a  rumor  afloat.  The  broad 
assertion  of  the  fact  soon  followed.  And  it  was  thus  that 
a  transaction,  not  only  innocent  in  itself,  but  in  the  highest 
degree  honorable  to  the  General  Grand  Chapter,  to  the  com- 
mittee to  whom  the  papers  were  referred,  and  to  Governor 
Clinton  himself,  has  been  misrepresented  and  distorted,  un- 
til it  has  at  length  swollen  into  the  atrocious  accusations 
which  we  have  seen.  But  the  misrepresentation  did  not 
end  with  the  story  that  the  General  Grand  Chapter  had  ex- 
amined the  papers,  and  directed  "  their  suppression  at  all 
"  hazards."  In  order  to  add  to  the  plausibility,  nay,  to  the 
possibility  of  its  truth,  it  became  necessary  to  falsify  dates, 
and  change  the  actual  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Grand  Chapter.  Morgan,  it  will  be  recollected,  was  taken 
from  Batavia,  on  the  morning  of  September  1 1th.  He  was 
thrown  into  prison  in  Canandaigua,  on  the  night  of  that 
day.  And  on  the  night  of  the  12th,  two  days  before  the 
meeting  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter,  and  three  days  pre- 
viously to  the  arrival  of  the  papers  in  New- York,  he  was 
kidnapped  from  the  jail,  and  stolen  away  to  the  west.  It 
was  therefore  an  utter  impossibility,  that  the  General  Grand 
Chapter,  or  Gov.  Clinton,  could  have  been  consulted  in  the 
matter.  This  difficulty,  however,  was  soon  overcome  by 
the  exercise  of  a  little  ingenuity,  and  still  less  of  honesty.  ^, 
Knowing  that  the  great  body  of  the  people  would  not  speedi- 
ly, if  ever,  be  undeceived,  the  period  of  the  meeting  of  the 
General  Grand  Chapter  was  altered  in  the  Anti-masonic 
papers,  and  carried  back  into  August !  This  miserable 
fraud  gave  the  necessary  time  to  impart  consistency  to  the 


312  LETTER  XXIX. 

story,  and  the  purpose  was  for  the  time  abundantly  an- 
swered. 

I  have  had  occasion,  many  months  ago,  to  refer  to  the 
transaction  of  which  I  have  now  given  you  some  account, 
and  to  expose  the  fraud  in  the  alteration  of  the  date,  by  the 
Anti-masonic  papers,  ahhough  the  facts  were  adverted  to 
very  briefly.  But  as  that  exposition  was  unheeded  by  those 
for  whom  it  was  intended,  with  a  single  exception,*  I  am 
now  prepared  to  fortify  my  own,  by  other  testimony,  the 
character  of  which  will  not  be  called  in  question.  With  a 
view  to  the  present  essay,  about  a  month  since,  I  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  my  friend.  Col.  Knapp,  whose  name 
lias  already  been  mentioned : — 

'' New-York,  February  b,  ISS2. 
"  Dear  Sir, 

"  You  are  already  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  I  am 
engaged  in  the  preparation  of  a  work,  intended  for  the  pub- 
lic eye,  upon  the  subject  of  speculative  Freemasonry,  and 
the  Antimasonic  excitement.  In  the  course  of  the  history 
which  it  is  my  intention  to  give  of  the  origin  and  progress 
of  Anti-masonry,  it  will  be  incumbent  upon  me  to  notice,  for 
the  purpose  of  repelling  it,  an  infamous  slander  which  has 
connected  the  name  of  one  of  the  illustrious  dead,  with  the 
unhappy  transactions  lying  at  the  foundation  of  that  excite- 
ment. From  the  repeated  conversations  which  we  have 
had  together  upon  this  subject,  you  will  readily  understand 
the  particular  incident  to  which  I  would  now  call  your  at- 
tention— especially  as  your  own  name  has  frequently  been 
connected  with  it  by  the  more  reckless  of  the  Anti-masonic 
presses.  You  were,  as  I  well  recollect,  one  of  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Massachusetts,  in  the  Gene- 
ral Grand  Chapter  of  the  United  States,  at  its  last  septennial 

*  T.  Weed,  Esq.,  Editur  of  the  Albany  Evening  Journal. 


LETTER  XXIX.  31S 

convocation,  which  was  held  in  the  autumn  of  1826  ;  and 
as  you  were  what  is  called  a  working  member,  and  of 
course  intimately  acquainted  with  all  its  proceedings,  I  feel 
no  hesitancy  in  making  the  request  I  am  about  to  prefer, 
entertaining  at  the  same  time  the  fullest  confidence  in  the 
authenticity,  and  a  due  estimate  of  the  value,  of  the  infor- 
mation which  I  know  it  is  in  your  power  to  furnish  me  in 
reply.  Will  you,  therefore,  be  kind  enough  to  favor  me 
with  as  speedy  an  answer  as  your  convenience  will  allow, 
to  the  following  queries  ? 

"  1st.  Were  you  present  in  the  General  Grand  Chapter, 
in  September,  1826,  when  a  companion  arrived  from  the 
western  part  of  this  state,  having  in  his  possession  certain 
papers  and  manuscripts,  to  lay  which  before  that  body  he 
alledged  he  had  been  sent  hither  as  an  express  ? 

"  2d.  On  what  day,  and  at  about  what  hour,  did  this  spe- 
cial messenger  arrive,  and  what  was  the  peculiarity,  if  any, 
of  his  manner  ? 

"  3d.  What  course  was  taken  with  the  said  papers,  in 
the  first  instance  ? 

"  4th.  What  in  the  second  ? 

"  5th.  Was  the  late  Most  Excellent  General  Grand  High 
Priest,  De  Witt  Clinton,  presiding  in  the  chapter,  on  that 
day? 

"  6th.  If  aye,  what  was  his  conduct  on  that  occasion,  and 
what  remarks,  if  any,  did  he  make  from  the  chair  on  the 
subject  ? 

"  7th.  What  was  the  final  disposition  of  the  whole  matter, 
so  far  as  the  General  Grand  •  Chapter  was  concerned,  offi- 
cially or  otherwise  ? 

"  By  answering  the  foregoing  inquiries,  and  also  by  fur- 
nishing me  any  additional  information  that  may  be  within 
your  knowledge  or  possession,  calculated  to  assist  in  the 
elucidation  of  this  branch  of  my  investigations,  you  will 

not  only  confer  a  favor  upon  me,  but  do  what  is  of  much 

10 


314  LETTER  XXIX. 

greater  and  higher  consequence — assist  in  rescuing  the 
memory  of  a  great  and  virtuous  man,  who  has  descended 
to  an  untimely  grave  "  v^ith  all  his  country's  wishes  blest," 
from  one  of  the  most  atrocious  calumnies  ever  invented  by 
man. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  truly  yours, 

"WILLIAM  L.  STONE. 
"  Col.  Samuel  L.  Knapp." 

To  the  foregoing  letter  I  was  promptly  favored  with  the 
following  communication  in  reply  : — 

''New-York,  February  8,  1832,  . 
"  Dear  Sir, 

"  I  embrace  this,  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  since 
the  receipt  of  your  letter,  to  give  you  such  answers  to  your 
interrogatories  as  my  best  recollections  afford.  I  was  a 
member  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United  States, 
at  their  septennial  convocation,  in  September,  1826,  having 
taken  my  scat  as  a  delegate  from  the  Grand  Chapter  of 
Massachusetts.  On  the  second  day  of  the  session,  the  se- 
cond officer  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter, — companion 
Snow,  from  Ohio, — being  in  the  chair,  in  the  fore  part  of  the 
day,  he  stated  to  that  body  that  a  special  communication  had 
been  made  to  him  from  the  western  part  of  the  state  of 
New- York,  and  suggested  the  propriety  of  putting  it  into 
the  hands  of  a  committee,  before  tlic  nature  of  it  was  known 
to  the  chapter  at  largo.  This  was  agreed  to,  and  I  had  the 
honor  of  being  appointed  chairman  of  the  committee.  It 
being  stated  that  it  might  be  a  matter  of  importance,  the 
committee  forthwith  retired  to  consider  the  communication. 
I  went  into  the  committee  room  without  a  hint  upon  the 
subject,  A  young  gentleman,  whose  name  I  never  inquir- 
ed after,  presented  the  committee  some  printed  pages  and  a 
manuscript;  statini!.  at  the  same  time  (hat  sov(.'ral  of  the 


LETTER  XXIX.  315 

masonic  fraternity  in  his  part  of  the  country,  had  appre- 
hended that  some  mischief  might  ensue  from  the  pubHcation 
of  such  a  work  as  the  printed  pages  and  manuscript  pur- 
ported to  be,  particularly  in  the  state  of  feeling  which  he 
said  prevailed  among  the  Masons  in  the  west.  The  mes- 
senger was  in  the  highest  state  of  excitement.  The  com- 
mittee patiently  heard  his  story,  and  having  deliberated 
thereon,  returned  the  messenger  his  papers  without  any 
examination  of  them,  telling  him,  distinctly,  that  it  was  a 
subject  in  which  the  General  Grand  Chapter  could  take  no 
part.  The  committee  having  agreed  unanimously  in  this 
opinion,  returned  to  the  lodge  room  and  made  a  verbal  re- 
port. This  was  accepted  with  but  a  few,  or  no  remarks, 
from  the  companions,  at  the  time,  and  without  a  dissenting 
voice.  In  a  subsequent  portion  of  that  day,  our  General 
Grand  High  Priest,  De  Witt  Clinton,  took  the  chair ;  and 
while  in  it,  inquired  if  a  communication  had  been  made 
from  the  fraternity  of  the  west,  and  if  so,  what  had  been 
done  thereon  ?  I  stated  to  him  the  course  pursued  by  the 
committee  and  chapter,  which  met  with  his  entire  approba- 
tion ;  and  he  repeated  the  language  which  had  been  used  by 
the  committee,  that  this  body  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
subject,  and, that  it  was  not  worthy  the  notice  of  Masons. 
The  communication  made  no  excitement  in  the  General 
Grand  Chapter  ;  they  then  thought  it  one  of  those  idle  ap- 
prehensions frequently  known  among  young  Masons,  and 
there  left  it.  A  few  hours  after  the  interview  which  the 
messenger  had  with  the  committee,  he  came  to  me  and  ap- 
peared dissatisfied,  or,  at  least,  disappointed,  at  the  indiffer- 
ence shown  by  the  General  Grand  Chapter  on  the  subject 
of  his  communication,  and  at  this  time  let  fall  some  hints 
that  the  writer  of  the  manuscript  might  at  that  time  be  in 
prison  for  debt.  My  reply  to  him  was,  if  he  is  imprisoned 
for  debt,  go  and  raise  money  among  the  fraternity,  to  pay 


316  LETTER  XXIX. 

the  debts  he  is  held  for,  and  discharge  ihem,  and  see  that  lie 
has  his  liberty,  and  his  manuscripts  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  In  this,  as  in  all  other  intercourse  I  ever  had  with  our 
Grand  High  Priest,  De  Witt  Clinton,  I  have  ever  found  him 
honorable  and  high-minded,  and  in  a  most  remarkable  de- 
gree possessing  the  confidence  and  affection  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  General  Grand  Chapter,  while  at  the  head  of  the 
institution,  which  was  a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years  ;  and 
how  deeply  he  was  lamented  at  his  death,  will  be  seen  by 
looking  at  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter, 
in  September,  1829. 

"  Yours,  truly, 

"  SAMUEL  L.  KNAPR 

"  To  Wm.  L.  Stone,  Esq." 

Conclusive,  however,  nay,  triumphant,  as  I  think  this  vin- 
dication might  be  considered,  even  were  the  case  to  be  rested 
here, — more  especially  when  taken  in  connexion  with  the 
facts  and  circumstances  touching  the  conduct  of  Governor 
Clinton,  in  relation  to  the  Morgan  business,  and  the  portions 
of  his  correspondence  respecting  it,  which  have  been  incor- 
porated in  several  of  the  preceding  letters — yet  there  is 
other  and  stronger  testimony  in  reserve.  I  have  already 
intimated  in  the  present  letter,  that  Gov.  Clinton  was  in  his 
life-time  apprised,  to  some  extent,  of  the  aspersions  cast  up- 
on his  character  upon  this  subject,  and  that  he  was  not  back- 
ward in  the  adoption  of  measures  to  rescue  his  own  good 
name  from  the  obloquy.  No  further  evidence  of  this  fact 
need  be  adduced — stronger  testimony  cannot  be — than  the 
following  correspondence,  which  took  place  between  Gov. 
C.  and  Jacob  Le  Roy,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  of  great  respecta- 
bility residing  in  the  county  of  Genesee,  a  short  time  pre- 
viously to  the  lamented  decease  of  tlie  former : — 


LETTER  XXIX.  317 

•'  Le  Roy,  October  29,  1827. 
"  My  dear  Sir, 

"  You  have,  doubtless,  been  long  acquainted  with  the 
great  excitement  prevailing  in  this  section  of  the  state,  in 
consequence  of  the  abduction  of  Morgan  ;  which  excite- 
ment, I  regret  to  say,  is  increasing,  owing  to  the  designing 
views  of  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  Anti-masonic  party. 
Your  name  in  this  transaction,  is  now  becoming  conspicuous, 
and  some  of  our  most  respectable  citizens  have  informed 
me,  that  certain  Masons  have  asserted  that  you  have  writ- 
ten to  them,  authorising  this  act.  I  have  endeavored  to 
trace  it  to  its  source,  and  in  every  instance,  where  I  have 
been  able  to  meet  with  the  persons  said  to  have  made  the 
assertions,  have  found  them  slanders  ;  the  person  here,  who 
appears  most  conspicuous  in  making  these  charges,  is  said 
to  be  Dr.  F****.  I  have  charged  him  with  the  fact,  which 
he  positively  denies.  A  number  of  our  most  influential  ci- 
tizens, your  friends,  knowing  my  acquaintance  with  you, 
have  requested  me  to  write,  and  beg  of  you  to  answer  the 
following  questions : — 

"  Did  you  know  that  any  attempts  were  to  be  made  to 
carry  oft*  Morgan,  previous  to  his  abduction  ? 

"  Did  you  ever,  in  conversation  with  Dr.  F****,  or  Mr. 
B****,  of  Batavia,  or  any  other  Mason,  lead  them  to  sup- 
pose you  were  in  favor  of  his  abduction  ? 

"  Have  you  ever  written  to  any  Mason,  authorising  the 
act  ? 

"Did  you,  while  on  your  visit  to  this  county,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1826,  attend  any  of  their  Masonic  meetings  ? 

"  Did  you,  as  has  been  stated  by  Southwick,  tender  your 
hospitality  to  Col.  King,  while  in  Albany,  knowing  at  the 
time,  he  had  been  a  participator  in  these  transactions  ? 

"  You,  no  doubt,  may  think  I  am  bold  and  free  in  thus 
questioning  you,  on  subjects  in  which  you  may  think  I  have 


318  LETTER  XXIX. 

no  concern ; — but,  my  dear  sir,  it  is  from  the  purest  motives 
(being  perfectly  satisfied  in  my  own  mind  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  these  charges,)  that  your  exalted  character,  should 
be  shielded  from  such  assassin-like  attacks.  I  am  persua- 
ded your  denial  of  these  assertions  will  put  the  authors  to 
that  disgrace  which  they  so  justly  deserve,  and  put  down 
at  once  these  infamous  reports. 

"  I  have  again  to  beg  you  will  not  take  offence  at  this 
communication,  coming,  as  you  well  know,  from  one,  who 
ever  has  been  a  strong  friend  and  admirer  of  your  charac- 
ter. 

"  With  the  greatest  respect, 

"  Believe  me,  most  sincerely, 

"  Your  friend, 
"  JACOB  LE  ROY. 
"  To  his  excellency, 

"  De  Witt  Clinton,  Albany T 

"  New-York,  November  3,  1827. 
*'  My  dear  Sir, 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  29th  of  October, 
and  have  a  full  impression  of  the  honorable  and  friendly 
motives  which  governed  you  in  writing  it ; — I  beg  you  to 
accept  my  sincere  thanks.  I  shall  now  answer  it  fully,  and 
satisfactorily,  and  with  great  pleasure. 

"  I  have  always  condemned  the  abduction  of  Morgan, 
and  have  never  spoken  of  the  measure,  but  as  a  most  un- 
warrantable outrage,  and  as  deserving  the  most  severe 
punishment.  I  had  no  previous  knowledge  of  any  such 
intention.  I  never  gave  it,  before  or  after,  the  least  en- 
couragement, cither  verbally  or  in  writing,  directly  or 
indirectly. 

You  may  recollect  that  I  was  in  your  county,  in  July, 
1826.     During  that  time  I  attended  no  masonic  meeting, 


LETTER  XXIX.  319 

nor  did  I  ever  speak  to  Dr.  F****,  Mr.  B****,  or  any  other 
person,  in  a  way  that  would  lead  them  to  suppose  that  I 
countenanced  any  outrage  on  Morgan,  or  any  other  person, 
nor  can  I  recollect  to  have  had  any  conversation  at  that 
time,  about  Morgan,  or  his  intended  publication.  I  cannot 
think  there  can  be  a  human  being  so  base  as  to  make  such 
an  insinuation,  seriously,  and  believing  it. 

"  The  only  time  I  saw  Col.  King,  after  the  Morgan  affair, 
was  on  his  way  to  Washington  ;  and  then  he  called  on  me 
in  Albany,  to  transact  some  business  for  the  state,  when  at 
the  former  place,  which  I  declined  committing  to  his  agen- 
cy. I  had  no  satisfactory  proof  of  his  being  concerned  in 
that  outrage.  Indeed  he  introduced  the  subject  himself, 
disclaiming  all  participation. 

"  I  have  seen,  if  I  recollect  right,  in  Miller's  Batavia  pa- 
per, an  assertion  that  in  virtue  of  an  official  station  in  Ma- 
sonry, I  might  have  avoided  a  discovery  of  the  offenders, 
or  prevented  the  offence.  It  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  this 
assertion  is  totally  false. 

"  I  have  also  seen,  in  a  Le  Roy  paper,  say  of  the  17th  of 
October,  an  averment,  from  an  anonymous  writer,  that  he 
had  heard  a  Mason  say,  he  would  not  have  been  concerned 
in  the  outrage,  if  he  had  not  seen  a  letter  from  me  favora- 
ble to  the  act.  Although  very  reluctant  to  institute  prose- 
cutions against  printers,  yet,  in  this  case,  I  am  willing  to  de- 
part from  a  general  rule  ;  and  unless  the  printers  disavow 
the  nefarious  slander,  and  give  up  the  name  of  the  writer 
for  prosecution,  which  1  authorise  you  to  demand,  I  shall 
not  fail  to  bring  them  before  a  tribunal  of  justice. 

*'  You  may  make  such  use  of  this  letter'  as  you  may  think 
proper. 

"  I  am,  truly,  your  friend, 

«  DE  WITT  CLINTON. 

"  To  Jacob  Le  Roy,  Esq. 

"  Ttr  Roy,  Genesee  counti/,  N.  F." 


320^  LETTER  XXIX. 

"  Le  Roy,  Novemher  13,  1827, 
"  My  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  favoi"  of  the  3d  inst.  came  to  hand  in  due 
pourse,  by  which  I  was  much  pleased  to  perceive,  that  my 
communication  was  received  in  the  friendly  manner  intend- 
ed. On  the  receipt  of  it,  I  immediately  called  on  the  edi- 
tors of  our  village  paper,  and  demanded  the  author  of  the 
libellous  attack  made  on  you,  in  their  paper  of  the  18th. 
They  readily  gave  up  the  name,  which  I  should  have  in- 
formed you  of  sooner,  but  at  the  request  of  the  gentleman 
implicated,  (whose  name  is  James  Ballard,)  who  wished  I 
should  defer  writing  you,  until  he  could  procure  some  de- 
positions to  prove  the  source  from  which  it  had  originated. 
He  has  this  day  put  me  in  possession  of  these  documents, 
with  the  wish  that  I  should  enclose  them  to  you.  These 
papers  will  enable  you  to  see  from  whence  the  slander  has 
its  origin.  Mr.  Ballard's  standing  here  has  always  been 
very  respectable,  and  he  is  a  gentleman  of  considerable 
property. 

"  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind,  that  a  letter,  purporting 
to  have  been  written  by  you,  approving  of  this  outrage,  has 
been  circulated  through  this  country  ;  but  whether  by  the 
Masons,  as  a  motive  to  urge  on  people  to  this  disgraceful 
transaction,  or  by  other  persons  for  political  purposes,  I  am 
unable  to  say.  No  pains  have  been  spared  to  satisfy  the 
people,  of  your  being  deeply  implicated  in  the  afiair.  The 
course  you  have  now  determined  to  take,  however,  will 
unravel  the  mystery,  and  disclose  to  you  a  scene  of  villainy 
you  are  not  aware  of. 

"  I  have  shown  your  letter  to  many  of  our  respectable 
citizens,  who  are  perfectly  convinced  of  the  infamous  slan- 
der, from  the  frank  and  decisive  manner  in  which  you  have 
replied  to  all  the  questions  submitted  in  my  letter  to  you  of 
ihe  29th  of  last  month.  A  very  general  wish  has  been  ex- 
pressed, that  J  should  permit  the  letter  to  be  published,  but 


LETTER  XXIX.  321 

1  have  declined  doing  so,  until  I  know  your  pleasure  on  the 
subject.         Most  respectfully,  your  friend, 

"  JACOB  LE  ROY. 
"  To  his  excellency, 

"  De  Witt  Clinton,  Albany J^ 

''Albany,  December  14,  1827. 
"  My  dear  Sir, 

"  On  my  return  from  New- York,  last  month,  I  found 
your  letter  of  the  13th  November,  Mr.  Ballard's  of  the  same 
date,*  and  the  affidavits  of  Franklin  Marsh,  Hiram  GrifFen,  Eli- 
as  Cooly  and  Mollis  Pratt,t  fixing  the  authorship  of  the  slan- 
ders against  me  on  James  Ganson.  Between  that  time  and 
this,  my  attention  has  been  so  entirely  engrossed  with  the 
recent  and  approaching  session  of  the  legislature,  that  I  had 
not  time  to  attend  to  any  but  public  concerns.  I  now  thank 
you  for  your  very  prudent  and  friendly  course.  Mr.  Bal- 
lard's conduct  would  have  appeared  in  the  same  light,  if, 
instead  of  being  the  trumpeter  of  a  vile  slander,  and  what 
he  must  have  known  to  be  such,  he  had  consulted  me,  if  he 
could  have  possibly  wanted  any  satisfaction,  in  a  case  of 
slander  so  obviously  diabolical.  But  as  he  has  fixed  the 
authorship  on  Ganson,  I  shall  require  from  the  latter  a  writ- 
ten document.  If  this  is  not  satisfactorily  furnished,  an- 
other course  must  be  pursued.  It  may  be  proper  to  men- 
tion, that  the  Morgan  committee  of  Batavia,  have,  much 
in  honor  of  their  candor,  done  justice  to  my  conduct  rela- 
ting to  this  whole  aflair. 

"  I  am,  dear  sir,  with  my  respects  to  Mrs.  Le  Roy, 
"  Your  sincere  friend, 

"DE  WITT  CLINTON. 

«  To  Jacob  Le  Roy." 

'^  Vide  Appendix,  G.        f  Vide  Appendix,  H. 

41 


322  LETTER  XXIX. 

'^Albany,  January  5,  1828. 
«  My  dear  Sir, 

"Did  you  receive  a  letter  from  me  dated  the  14th  De- 
cember last  ?  I  wish  to  come  to  some  conclusive  result 
with  Ganson.  Who  is  Franklin  Marsh,  one  of  the  affidavit 
makers  ?  If  Ganson  does  not  make  the  amende  honorable, 
in  writing,  I  shall  institute  a  prosecution  against  him,  if  i 
find,  on  the  advice  of  counsel,  that  it  will  lie. 
"  I  am  your  sincere  friend, 

"  DE  WITT  CLINTON, 
"  To  Jacob  Le  Roy." 

"  Le  Roy,  January  5,  1828. 
**  My  dear  Sir, 

"  I  have  this  day  "received  yours  of  the  5th,  inquiring 
of  me  whether  a  letter  written  by  you  on  the  14th  of  last 
month,  had  come  to  hand.  I  did  receive  that  letter  in  due 
course,  and  did  not  conceive  from  its  contents,  it  was  your 
wish  that  I  should  have  procured  Ganson's  refutation,  but 
inferred  it  was  your  intention  to  have  demanded  from  him, 
yourself,  such  a  denial,  as  you  should  think  satisfactory,  or 
I  should  have  immediately  attended  to  it.  I  have  now  had 
drawn  up  as  strong  a  denial  of  the  charges,  as  could  be 
done,  to  which  you  have  Ganson's  signature,  and  which  I 
hope  will  meet  your  approbation.*  I  should,  were  I  placed 
in  a  similar  situation,  desire  the  editors  of  our  paper,  to  pub- 
lish all  these  affidavits,  and  also  Ganson's  denial,  whicli 
would  at  once  satisfy  every  one  that  there  was  a  lie  between 
them,  and  show  the  baseness  of  the  slander.  You  will  par- 
don the  liberty  I  take  in  thus  recommending  the  publishing 
of  these  documents  ;  ^or,  I  think,  as  this  libel  has  been  open- 
ly made,  the  refutation  ought  to  be  equally  public, 

♦  Vide  Appendix,  Ir 


LETTER  XXIX.  323 

"  With  my  respects  to  Mrs.  C.  and  family,  and  my  sin- 
cere wishes,  that  you  may  be  blessed  with  many  happy  re- 
turns of  the  season,  believe  me,  sincerely,  your  friend, 

"  JACOB  LE  ROY. 

"  To  his  excellency, 

"  De  Witt  Clinton,  Albany T 

"  P.  S.  Franklin  Marsh,  of  whom  you  make  inquiries,  is  a 
mason  by  trade,  and  with  whom  I  am  but  little  acquainted. 
I  am,  however,  informed  that  he  is  a  man  whose  word  is 
entitled  to  credit." 

The  sudden  and  unexpected  decease  of  the  principal  in 
the  preceding  correspondence,  cut  it  short  at  this  point,  and 
prevented  its  publication,  or  the  adoption  of  any  other  mea- 
sures in  the  premises.  These  interesting  papers,  and  the 
documents  connected  with  them,  are  now,  consequently,  for 
the  first  time  permitted  to  see  the  light.  I  will  not  pause 
to  dwell  upon  them.  To  comment,  would  be  but  to  im- 
peach the  understanding  of  the  reader.  I  will,  therefore, 
only  add,  upon  this  point,  that,  if  a  long  chain  of  circum- 
stances, bearing  directly  upon  his  innocence,  prove  any 
thing ; — if  the  whole  course  of  his  official  conduct  in  this 
matter,  and  his  private,  as  well  as  his  public  correspon- 
dence, are  to  be  received  in  evidence ; — if  the  testimony  of 
unimpeachable  witnesses,  is  to  have  its  proper  weight ; — 
and,  if,  superadded  to  all  these,  his  own  solemn  declarations, 
are  to  be  received  as  the  testimony  of  one,  "  whose  word 
"  but  yesterday  would  have  stood  against  the  world,"  then 
is  the  refutation  of  the  foul  slander  complete :  the  blot  is 
wiped  from  the  patriot's  escutcheon :  his  name,  and  his 
fame,  are  triumphantly  vindicated. 

But  while  I  refrain  from  comment,  it  is  impossible  to  fore- 
go reflection  upon  the  circumstances  of  the  diabolical  ca- 
lumny, thus,  as  I  hope,  satisfactorily  refuted.     That  Mor- 


324  S*tETTER  XXIX. 

gan  was  basely  betrayed,  and  carried  into  captivity,  wc  all 
know.  That  he  was  murdcr(3d,  I  have  long  since  ceased  to 
entertain  or  express  a  doubt,  nor  am  I  aware  that  in  the  pre- 
ceding letters,  I  have  failed,  on  any  proper  occasion,  to  ex- 
press an  abhorrence,  not  only  of  that  deed,  but  of  the  unjus- 
tifiable methods  that  have  at  any  time  been  taken  to  screen 
the  perpetrators  from  punishment.  Even-handed  justice, 
however,  requires  that  we  should  be  equally  unsparing  in 
the  bestowment  of  merited  censure  upon  those  who  would 
pursue  their  victim  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  grave. 
Deeply  as  I  deplore  and  execrate  the  usurpation  by  indivi- 
duals, of  the  execution  of  public  justice,  it  is  impossible  to 
detach  from  the  mind  of  any  man  engaged  in  furthering  its 
behests,  the  question  of  personal  malice.  The  quo  animo 
is  always  sought  by  every  juror,  and  exerts  an  influence 
upon  his  mind,  in  all  its  degrees  and  relations,  from  malice 
prepense,  sudden  wrath,  infatuated  zeal,  self  defence,  and 
monomania,  to  absolute  insanity  and  idiocy.  The  three  first 
classes  alluded  to,  are  never  sanctioned  by  the  tribunals  of 
justice  ;  yet  still,  in  meting  out  punishment,  they  are  not 
lost  sight  of;  and  in  the  stigma  infixed  upon  the  character 
of  the  oflfender,  they  receive  their  appropriate  gradation  of 
infamy  by  the  public  award.  The  case  then  stands  thus  in 
contrast — Morgan,  a  man  of  no  peculiar  estimation  in  socie- 
ty, with  no  extensive  fiimily  relations,  and,  by  his  own 
shewing,  essentially  guilty  of  perjury,  was,  for  the  viola- 
tion of  his  oath,  unjustifiably  put  to  death  by  infatuated  Ma- 
sons, not  only  without  authority,  but  in  shameful  violation 
of  the  laws  of  the  land. 

Governor  Clinton,  on  the  other  hand,  holding  an  impor- 
tant public  station — possessed  of  a  reputation  dear  to  him- 
self and  valuable  to  his  country — surrounded  by  a  large  and 
interesting  family,  and  extensive  connexions — guilty  of  no 
crime  or  indiscretion,  on  which  even  party  vengeance  could. 


LETTER  XXX.  325 

at  any  time,  fasten,  is  accused  by  persons  calling  them- 
selves Anti-masons,  of  the  double  murder  of  Morgan,  and 
of  himself! 

By  as  much  as  character  is  dearer  to  an  honorable  mind 
ihan  Hfe,is  the  atrocity  of  wantonly  destroying  the  former, 
more  infamous  than  taking  the  latter,  even  without  the  ex- 
tenuating apology  of  infatuation.  What  relative  or  friend 
of  Gov.  Clinton,  would  not  infinitely  have  preferred  that  he 
should  have  been  murdered,  than  that  his  character  should 
have  been  destroyed  by  such  abominable  imputations,  if  the 
proofs  of  their  falsity  were  not,  fortunately  and  triumphant- 
ly attainable  ?  That  they  are  so,  affords  no  palliation  to 
the  infamy  of  his  accusers  ; — and  the  attempt,  either  in  this 
state,  or  in  Pennsylvania,  to  sustain  the  cause  of  Anti-ma- 
sonry by  traducing  the  illustrious  dead  with  a  calumny  so 
foul  and  vital,  can  excite  little  less  abhorrence  than  the 
deed  it  proposes  to  avenge. 

With  great  regard,  I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XXX. 

New- York,  March  4,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  publication  of  the  entire  lectures  of  the  first  three 
degrees  of  Freemasonry,  including  the  obligations  of  those 
degrees,  by  Miller,  from  the  manuscripts  of  Morgan,  had 
induced  many  members  of  the  fraternity,  to  reflect  more 
seriously  than  they  had  previously  done,  upon  the  binding 
efficacy  of  those  obligations,  including,  of  course,  those  of 
the  higher  degrees.  Alarmed,  as  many  religious  members 
of  the  order  were,  in  regard  to  the  moral  influence  of  the 
institution,  as  it  had  been  illustrated  in  the  case  of  Morgan, 
and  the  conduct  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  craft  re- 


326  LETTER  XXX. 

specting  it,  public  renunciations  had  been  frequent,  almost 
from  the  time  the  accounts  of  the  outrage  had  been  first 
noised  abroad. 

These  renunciations  were  not  confined  to  thc^'western 
section  of  country,  nor  to  any  particular  calling.  ^  Mem- 
bers of  the  bar,  and  of  the  clerical  profession  ;  the  merchant, 
the  mechanic,  and  the  agriculturist,  in  many  parts  of  the 
country,  within  and  without  the  state  of  New- York,  came 
forward,  from  time  to  time,  publishing  to  the  world  their 
renunciations  of  the  order,  together  with  their  reasons  for 
so  doing.  It  is  no  part  of  my  duty  to  canvass  the  wisdom, 
the  necessity,  or  the  policy,  of  adopting  this  method  of  ab- 
juring the  institution,  and  its  obligations.  It  is  sufficient  to 
state  the  fact ;  but  while  I  do  this,  I  am  free  to  declare,  that, 
from  the  character  and  intelligence  of  the  greater  portion 
of  those  thus  renouncing,  we  have  no  right  to  question  the 
purity  of  their  motives.  Having  so  renounced,  and  reason- 
ed themselves  into  a  perfectly  sincere  belief,  that  none  of 
their  obligations  either  were,  or  ought  to  be,  of  any  binding 
force  whatever,  (being,  in  their  opinion,  contrary  to  the  spi- 
rit both  of  the  civil  and  the  divine  law,)  a  convention  of 
Masons  of  this  description  was  held  at  Le  Roy,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Genesee,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1828. 

The  object  of  this  convention  was  an  interchange  of  sen- 
timents upon  the  subject  which  was  now  engrossing  so  large 
a  portion  of  the  public  mind,  and  a  full  and  free  discussion 
of  the  principles  and  obligations  of  the  masonic  institution. 
The  convention  was  opened  with  religious  services  by  at- 
tending clergymen,  and  organized  by  the  choice  of  Leonard 
B.  Rose,  Esq.,  as  president,  and  the  Rev.  David  Barnard, 
secretary.  After  full  discussions  had  taken  place,  the  con- 
vention adopted  the  following  opinions,  viz : — In  regard  to 
the  antiquity  of  the  institution,  that  it  was  not  ancient ; 
on  the  score  of  morals^  that  it  did  not  promote  morality ; — 
touching  its  benevolence,  that  it  was  not  benevolent ; — re- 


LETTER  XXX.  327 

specting  its  ceremonies,  that  they  were  degrading,  and  op- 
posed to  Christianity ; — and,  in  fine,  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
honest  Masons  to  expose  the  secrets  and  obHgations  of  the 
order  to  the  world. 

Morgan's  book  was  then  examined,  and  it  was  declared 
by  the  convention  to  be  a  full  and  fair  revelation  of  the  first 
three  degrees  of  speculative  Masonry.  To  the  truth  of 
this  declaration,  thirty-five  seceding  Masons,  of  various  de- 
grees, "solemnly  and  sincerely  testified,"  by  subscribing 
their  names. 

The  convention  proceeded  to  make  what  they  have  pro- 
nounced a  full  and  fair  disclosure  of  the  obligations  of  the 
four  higher  degrees  of  ancient  Masonry,  together  with  the 
degrees  of  knighthood  to  the  Templar's  inclusive.  The 
four  former  correspond  with  those  contained  in  "  Bernard's 
"  Light  on  Masonry,"  to  the  general  character  of  which  I 
have  been  called  to  testify  my  own  opinion,  before  a  legal 
commission.  It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  that  opinion  in 
this  place.  But  in  regard  to  the  obligations  of  the  Red 
Cross  Knights,  and  the  Templars,  as  disclosed  by  this  con- 
vention, I  am  free  to  declare  that  I  know  of  no  such  obliga- 
tions in  any  degrees.  Seven  members  of  the  convention 
are  represented  in  the  proceedings,  to  have  been  knights, 
and  have  sanctioned  the  obligations  to  which  I  refer.  But 
I  am  at  a  loss  to  conjecture  where,  or  in  what  country,  such 
obligations  could  have  been  devised,  or  by  what  masonic 
authority  adopted.  I  have  received  those  degrees,  and  as- 
sisted in  conferring  them  ;  and  certain  I  am,  that  such  obli- 
gations were  new  to  me,  when  I  saw  them  in  the  printed 
report  of  the  proceedings  of  this  convention.  My  impres- 
sion is,  that  they  must  have  been  devised  westward  of  Al- 
bany, and  imposed  upon  candidates  without  the  sanction  of 
any  governing  body.  Indeed  I  am  authorised  to  state,  that 
when  the  forms  of  those  obligations  were  receivf^i  in  this 
city,  measures  were  taken  by  the  (rrand  Encampment  to 


328  LETTER  XXX. 

ascertain  whether  any  encampment  under  its  jurisdiction 
had  in  fact  ever  administered  any  such  obHgations,  and  if 
so.  where,  and  by  whom  they  had  been  imposed. 

The  concluding  acts  of  this  convention  were,  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  committee  "  to  draft  a  memorial  to  Con- 
"  gress  on  the  subject  of  the  prostitution  of  the  fortress  of 
"  Niagara,  to  the  incarceration  of  William  Morgan,  by  per- 
"  sons  calling  themselves  PVeemasons,  without  any  legal 
"  authority  for  such  violence  and  coercion  ;"  and  also  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  of  arrangements  for  a  great 
Anti-masonic  celebration  of  the  national  festival,  on  the 
4th  of  the  ensuing  month  of  July. 

The  memorial  to  Congress,  as  directed  by  the  foregoing 
resolution,  was  presented  by  Mr.  Tracy,  in  the  month  of 
May  following,  and  its  reference  to  the  judiciary  committee 
suggested.  It  charged  that  the  military  post  at  Niagara, 
under  the  care  of  officers  of  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
had  been  made  subservient  to  the  illegal  course  alledged 
to  have  been  pursued  in  respect  to  Morgan,  and  prayed 
that  an  inquiry  might  be  instituted  in  Congress  upon  that 
subject.  Several  gentlemen  spoke  on  the  presentation  of 
the  memorial,  and  among  others,  Messrs.  Tracy  and  Storrs, 
of  New- York  ;  Barbour,  of  Virginia  ;  and  Wright,  of 
Ohio.  It  was  considered  by  the  house,  that  the  investiga- 
tion of  abuses  of  that  description,  if  any  existed,  belonged, 
in  the  first  instance,  to  the  Executive  Department,  which 
had  the  charge  and  superintendence  of  the  army.  The 
memorial,  wiiich,  by  the  way,  was  accompanied  by  no 
proofs,  was  therefore  referred  to  the  President  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  ;  and  it  was  not  heard  from  afterwards.  The 
course  of  the  debate  clearly  showed,  that  in  the  then  pos- 
ture of  political  affairs,  there  was  a  general  wish,  on  all 
sides,  to  rid  themselves  of  any  inquiry  into  such  a  matter : 
and  all  parties  seemed  to  acquiesce  in  the  disposition  thus 
mafic  of  the  memorial.     The  inquiry  had  such  bearings,  in 


LETTER  XXX.  329 

many  directions,  that  all  parties  in  Congress  appeared  at  a 
loss  how  to  handle  a  subject  of  so  much  novelty,  and  the 
scope  of  which  was  not  so  fully  or  clearly  developed, 
as  to  enable  any  one  to  foresee  the  probable  effect  which 
the  investigation  might  have  on  their  particular  views  in 
the  then  approaching  election. 

Another  convention  assembled  at  the  same  place,  on 
the  6th  of  March  following.  It  consisted  of  seventy- 
nine  members,  representing  twelve  counties,  and  comprised 
a  formidable  array  of  talent  and  high  personal  character 
and  wealth.  General  William  Wadsworth  was  chosen 
president  of  this  convention,  and  Dr.  Matthew  Brown  and 
Robert  Fleming,  Esq.  secretaries.  It  was  by  this  body  of 
citizens,  that  the  Anti-masonic  party  first  received,  avowed- 
ly, its  political  "  form  and  pressure."  A  series  of  strong  re- 
solutions was  adopted,  embodying,  substantially,  all  the 
charges  that  had  been  preferred  against  Freemasonry  dur- 
ing the  controversy,  repeating  the  denunciations  of  the  or- 
der, individually  and  collectively,  and  inveighing  against 
the  press,  after  the  violent  example  set  in  the  primary 
meetings  of  the  people  the  year  before.  In  many 
respects,  the  committee,  in  drafting  their  resolutions,  and 
the  members  in  adopting  them,  were  not  as  scrupulous  in 
regard  to  facts,  as  they  should  have  been.  Among  other 
things  the  convention  resolved,  "  that  we  discover  in  the  ce- 
"  remonies  and  obligations  of  the  higher  degrees  of  Mason- 
"  ry,  principles  which  deluged  France  in  blood,  and  which 
"  tend  directly  to  the  subversion  of  all  religion  and  govern- 
"  ment."  Now  I  must  be  permitted  to  say — what  I  think 
has  already  been  shown  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  exposition, 
that  these  very  respectable  gentlemen  had  made  no  such 
discovery.  Those  degrees,  in  this  country,  at  least,  neither 
professedly  nor  covertly,  embrace  any  principles  of  the 
kind.     The  convention  also  resolved,  that  they  "  lamented 

"  the  entire  subjugation  of  the  press,  throughout  the  Union, 

42 


330  LETTER  XXX. 

"  to  the  control  of  Freemasonry."  Nothing  could  have 
been  more  unjust,  or  untrue,  than  this  sweeping  proscrip- 
tion of  the  whole  of  the  public  press,  whatever  may  have 
been  the  conduct  of  a  portion  of  it,  which,  I  am  free  to  ad- 
mit, was  sufficiently  reprehensible.  Resolutions  were  like- 
wise passed,  directing  the  raising  of  funds  for  the  establish- 
ment of  additional  Anti-masonic  presses  ;  thanking  the  Lew- 
iston  committee  for  its  great  exertions  to  investigate  the 
mysteries  of  the  Morgan  outrage  ;  and  proposing  the  first 
great  Anti-masonic  State  Convention,  to  assemble  in  Utica, 
on  the  4th  of  August  following.  The  objects  of  convoking 
such  a  convention,  were  sufficiently  broad,  as  all  will  admit. 
It  was  stated  to  be  necessary — "  to  take  measures  for  the 
"  destruction  of  the  masonic  institution  ;  for  sustaining  the 
"  liberty  of  the  press,  and  asserting  the  supremacy  of  the 
"  laws ;  for  protecting  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  citi- 
"  zens  against  the  vindictive  persecutions  of  members  of  the 
"  masonic  society  ;  and  to  take  into  consideration  such  oth- 
"  cr  business  as  the  said  convention  shall  deem  expedient  in 
"  the  furtherance  of  such  objects."  A  memorial  was,  more- 
over, directed  to  be  sent  to  Congress,  similar  to  that  agreed 
upon  by  the  preceding  convention,  just  noted  above  ;  and  in 
conclusion,  an  address  to  the  people  was  adopted,  well  cal- 
culated to  prolong  the  excitement,  and  increase  the  popular 
jealousy  and  hatred  of  Masonry.  Among  other  reckless 
assertions,  it  was  declared  to  be  a  fact,  without  qualifica- 
tion, that  "  to  the  bosom  of  Freemasonry  every  revolution 
"and  conspiracy,  which  has  agitated  Europe  for  the  last 
«  fifty  years,  might  be  distinctly  traced  ;"— that  its  princi- 
ples were  identically  the  same  with  Illuminism,  6z:c.,— the 
entire  groundlessness  of  which  assertion  I  have  heretofore 
shown.  In  addition  to  this  address,  a  memorial  was  adopt- 
ed, and  ordered  to  be  presented  to  the  I/egislature,  praying 
for  the  enactment  of  laws  prohibiting'  thr  administration  of 
the  masonic  oblicrations. 


LETTER  XXX.  331 

By  the  decease  of  Gov.  Clinton,  the  duties  of  chief  magis- 
trate, for  the  residue  of  the  term,  devolved  upon  the  Lieut. 
Governor — the  Hon.  Nathaniel  Pitcher.  On  the  18th  of 
March,  the  excitement  at  the  west  not  having  abated,  and 
the  feeling  continuing  gradually  to  spread,  Gov.  Pitcher 
transmitted  a  special  message  upon  the  subject,  to  the 
Senate — the  legislature  being  then  in  session.  As  an  apo- 
logy for  taking  this  course,  the  acting  Governor  referred  to 
the  constitutional  requirement,  that  the  person  administering 
the  government  should  "  take  care  that  the  laws  are.faith- 
"  fully  executed."  He  then  proceeded  briefly  to  refer  to  the 
excitement  at  the  west,  in  consequence  of  the  alle^dged 
clandestine  removal  of  a  citizen  of  the  state,  and  the  uncer- 
tainty of  his  fate.  He  also  referred  to  the  unsuccessful 
exertions  which  the  citizens  had  made  to  develope  the  mys- 
t<3rious  transaction,  and  to  bring  the  offenders  to  justice. 
He  did  not  directly  censure  the  course  that  had  been  adopt- 
ed by  the  people ;  but  suggested,  that,  while  the  trials  and 
convictions  which  had  taken  place,  had  rather  increased 
the  mystery  of  the  transaction,  the  efforts  of  the  individual 
citizens,  though  stimulated  by  a  patriotic  zeal,  had  not  al- 
ways been  guided  by  discretion  ;  and  had,  therefore,  as  there 
was  reason  to  fear,  tended  rather  to  prevent,  than  to  pro- 
mote, a  judicial  developement  of  the  truth.  The  fact  of 
the  sudden  and  mysterious  disappearance  of  an  important 
witness,  was  adverted  to  in  the  message  as  an  alarming  cir- 
cumstance ;*  and  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  it 
was  deemed  advisable  by  the  Executive,  to  recommend  an 
exercise  of  the  constitutional  powers  of  the  Legislature,  in 
order  to  facilitate  the  discovery  and  punishment  of  the  of- 
fenders.    Some  action  of  this  kind,  was  judged  by  the  Ex- 


*  In  the  summer  of  1S27,  Elisha  Adams,  a  witness  who  had  been  sum- 
moned to  attend  the  trials  at  Canandaigua,  after  proceeding  as  far  as  Ro- 
chester, suddenly  disappeared,  and  was  not  for  a  long  time  heard  from,  nor 
could  any  traces  of  him  be  discovered  for  many  montiis. 


332  LETTER  XXX. 

ecutive  to  be  equally  due  to  the  violated  majesty  of  the 
laws  ;  to  the  apprehensions  of  our  fellow  citizens,  which 
never  could  nor  ought  to  be  satisfied  until  justice  was  ob- 
tained ;  and  to  those  who  had  been,  or  might  be,  included 
in  the  general  and  vague  suspicions  always  produced  by 
such  transactions.  It  was,  said  the  message,  an  imperative 
duty  to  the  innocent,  that  those  really  guilty  should  be  de- 
tected and  punished.  Another  inducement  for  the  direct 
interposition  of  the  government,  was  found  in  the  belief  that 
such  a  course  w^ould  calm  the  feverish  .excitement  of  the 
public  mind,  and  prevent  designing  men  from  perverting 
that  excitement  to  their  own  selfish  purposes.  The  enact- 
ment of  a  law  was  therefore  recommended,  authorising  the 
appointment  of  a  competent  person  for  the  special  purpose 
of  investigating  the  alledged  criminal  transactions  in  re- 
spect to  Morgan,  and  all  the  incidents  connected  therewith — 
and  who  should  be  clothed  with  full  and  ample  powers  to 
perform  all  duties  necessary  to  a  full  and  fair  judicial  de- 
termination of  the  whole  matter.  The  message  was  refer- 
red to  the  committee  on  the  judiciary,  of  which  Mr.  John 
C.  Spencer  was  chairman. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  considered  an  unfair  suggestion — but 
still,  I  have  not  been  able  to  banish  the  impression,  that  the 
people  may  possibly  have  been  indebted  for  this  special 
message,  to  the  strong  and  decided  indications  of  the  united 
and  vigorous  political  action,  which  had  then  so  recently 
been  manifested  at  the  second  Le  Roy  Convention.  The 
number  of  counties  represented  in  that  body,  and  the  weight 
of  character  and  influence  comprised  within  it,  together 
with  its  recommendation  of  a  state  convention,  preparatory 
to  the  next  ensuing  general  elections  of  the  state,  shadowed 
forth  too  clearly  a  monition  to  escape  the  lynx-eyed  po- 
liticians by  whom  the  acting  Governor  was  surrounded. 
But,  whatever  might  have  been  the  motive  for  the  sending 
in  of  this  message  immediately  after  the  proceedings  of 


LETTER  XXX.  333 

the  convention  hadi  reached  Albany,  it  was  a  very  proper 
measure  in  itself,  and  might,  with  propriety,  have  been  pro- 
posed at  an  earlier  period  of  the  session. 

Three  days  after  the  receipt  of  the  message,  a  bill  was 
reported  by  the  committee,  in  compliance  with  the  execu- 
tive recommendation.  It  was  debated  and  adopted  in  the 
Senate  on  the  25th  of  March,  and  sent  down  to  the  Assem- 
bly for  concurrence.  The  bill  was  taken  up  in  that  house, 
on  the  4th  of  April;  and  on  the  15th  it  became  a  law. 
Daniel  Moseley,  Esq.,  of  Onondaga  county,  was  immediate- 
ly commissioned  by  the  Executive,  to  fill  the  important  of- 
fice thus  created.  This  appointment  did  not  give  the  peo- 
ple in  the  region  of  the  excitement,  so  much  satisfaction  as 
had  been  felt  by  the  passage  of  the  law.  Mr.  Moseley  was 
charged  with  a  want  both  of  talents  and  energy  for  the  sit- 
uation ;  and  although  the  senatorial  district  in  which  he 
resided,  was  strongly  of  his  own  political  party,  yet  such 
were  the  prejudices  excited  against  him  in  the  public  mind, 
that  he  failed  in  an  attempt  to  be  elected  to  the  Senate,  in 
the  autumn  subsequent  to  his  apppointment.  My  own  opin- 
ion upon  the  subject  is,  that  injustice  was  done  to  Mr.  Mose- 
ley, touching  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  special  com- 
missioner. His  labors  were  as  faithful  as  those  of  any  other 
counsellor  employed  in  those  investigations,  and  he  is  more- 
over a  sound  and  virtuous  man,  whose  fidelity  in  the  trans- 
actions referred  to,  cannot  be,  and  ought  never  to  have  been, 
questioned. 

The  memorial  of  the  Le  Roy  Convention,  remonstrating 
against  the  masonic  obligations,  and  praying  for  the  pas- 
sage of  a  law  prohibiting  them  altogether,  was  presented  in 
the  Assembly  on  the  19th  of  March — the  day  after  the  act- 
ing Governor's  message  to  the  Senate.  This  memorial  was 
referred  to  a  select  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Childs, 
Granger,  and  Wardwell.  On  the  2d  of  April,  following, 
this  committee  reported  a  bill  pursuant  to  the  prayer  of  the 


334  LETTER  XXX. 

memorialists,  which,  with  tlie  accompanying  report,  was 
ordered  to  be  printed.  But  no  further  mention  of  it  ap- 
pears on  the  legislative  journals,  and  the  presumption  is, 
that  it  was  never  called  up. 

Early  in  the  same  month,  (April,)  Messrs.  Garlinghouse 
and  Bates,  who  had  been  despatched,  as  I  have  already  sta- 
ted, to  the  southwestern  part  of  the  territory  of  the  United 
States,  returned  from  an  unsuccessful  mission,  and  made  a 
report ^of  their  proceedings  to  the  acting  Governor.  It  was 
known  that  Smith  and  Whitney,  had  fled  to  the  valley  of 
the  Mississippi.  The  officers  wenj;  thither,  but,  although 
they  often  heard  of  the  fugitives,  yet  they  could  not  succeed 
in  arresting  them.  Repairing  to  Arkansas,  they  were  fur- 
nished by  Gov.  Izard  with  the  necessary  papers,  with  which 
they  proceeded  to  cantonment  Towson,  upon  the  Red  Ri- 
ver, twelve  hundred  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  arrived  there  on  the  14th  of  February,  1828. 
"  Mr.  Garlinghouse  went  alone,  and  privately  presented  his 
"  papers  to  the  commander  of  the  station,  while  his  com- 
"  panion  remained  without  the  fort.  He  exhibited  the  or- 
"  der  of  the  Governor, — a  letter  from, the  Adjutant  General 
"  of  the  army,  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War, — 
"and  also  a  letter  from  Col.  Arbuckle,  commanding  oflicer 
"  at  cantonment  Gibson,  and  requested  Capt.  Hyde,  then  in 
"  command  of  the  station,  to  furnish  assistance  for  the  ar- 
"  rest  of  King,  who,  it  appeared,  was  then  there.  This  of- 
"  ficer  refused  to  assist  himself,  or  to  furnish  assistance,  or 
"  even  to  furnish  a  guard  for  his  removal."  He  proposed, 
however,  to  send  for  a  lieutenant  to  accompany  the  sheriff 
to  King's  store  ;  but  the  officer  thus  sent  for  could  not  be 
found  ;  and  it  afterwards  appeared  that  the  captain  himself, 
during  the  absence  of  the  messenger,  held  a  conversation 
with  the  very  oflicer  for  whom  he  had  sent  ;  and  it  also 
appeared,  that,  after  the  sheriff  had  obtained  another  offi- 
cer to  accompany  him  to  the  store,  the  lieutenant  referred 


LETTER  XXX.  SB5 

to,  and  with  whom  the  captain  had  thus  conversed,  had  al- 
ready anticipated  the  sheriff,  and  taken  King  away  into  the 
woods.  Mr.  Bates  was  afterwards  informed  by  the  officer 
himself,  of  the  fact  that  he  did  thus  take  King  away,  on 
learning  that  messengers  had  arrived  to  arrest  him  for  the 
murder  of  Morgan,  and  that  he  had  directed  King's  clerk  ta 
take  his  horse  to  him,  where  he  was  waiting  for  him  in  the 
forest.  The  officers  who  had  thus  favored  the  escape  of 
the  fugitive,  were  understood  to  be  Masons.  To  attempt  a 
pursuit,  in  the  vast  wildernesses  of  the  west,  would  have 
been  a  hopeless  undertaking.  The  idea  was  therefore 
abandoned ;  and  the  messengers,  after  making  a  fruitless 
search,  even  to  New-Orleans,  for  Smith  and  Whitney, 
returned  to  report  the  circumstances  of  their  bootless  mis- 
sion.   - 

The  escape  of  King,  and  the  manner  in  which,  by  ma- 
sonic  connivance  and  even  direct  assistance,  he  had  been 
enabled  to  flee,  gave  very  great  offence,  and  justly.  A  re- 
presentation of  the  conduct  of  Capt.  Hyde  was  made  to 
the  War  Department,  and  that  officer  was  ordered  into  ar- 
rest, and  to  repair  to  this  city  for  trial  ;  but  nothing  fur- 
ther resulted  from  that  measure.  Before,  however,  suffi- 
cient time  had  elapsed  for  the  public  to  give  full  vent  to  its 
indignation  at  the  manner  in  which  King  had  been  enabled 
to  elude  his  pursuers, — that  is  to  say,  on  the  1 7th  of  May,  he 
suddenly  re-appeared  at  Niagara,  having  voluntarily  re- 
turned to  his  former  residence — whence  his  family  had  not 
been  removed.  He  immediately  published  a  note  in  a 
Lockport  paper,  under  his  own  signature,  addressed  to 
Messrs.  Garlinghouse  and  Bates,  informing  them  of  such 
return,  and  of  his  readiness  "  to  transact  any  business  they 
"  might  have  with  him."  Attempts  had  been  made  during 
his  absence,  to  procure  his  indictment  lor  murder,  but  with- 
out success.  But  he  had  been  indicUu!  lor  a  misdemeanor; 
and  the  second  rlny  i\hoA'  his  ap])arition,  lie  went  voluntavz- 


336  LETTER  XXX. 

ly  to  the  ministers  of  justice,  and  was  recognized,  himself  in 
the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  and  two  sureties  in  the  sum 
of  five  hundred  dollars  each,  for  his  appearance  at  the  next 
term  of  the  court.  In  a  week  thereafter,  he  published  an 
address  to  the  public,  respecting  his  case,  well  calculated  to 
make  a  favorable  impression  in  his  behalf. 

This  return  of  Col.  King,  after  the  escape  at  cantonment 
Towson,  and  his  subsequent  conduct,  are  among  the  most 
remarkable  incidents  of  these  extraordinary  transactions. 
People  knew  not  what  to  make  of  it.  His  original  flight 
could  not  have  been  without  cause  ;  nor,  unless  he  had  ve- 
ry powerful  reasons  for  so  doing,  would  he  voluntarily  have 
retreated  four  thousand  miles  distant  from  his  home,  and 
buried  himself  twelve  hundred  miles  deep  in  the  wilder- 
ness, merely  for  the  emolument  of  the  paltry  official  situa- 
tion he  had  obtained.  Why,  moreover,  should  he  have 
thus  fled  from  the  faces  of  his  pursuers,  if  he  knew  he 
could  safely  throw  himself  back  into  the  hands  of  his  accu- 
sers, and  repose  securely  upon  his  innocence  ?  It  was,  in 
all  respects,  an  unaccountably  strange  movement ;  serving  to 
add  another  shade  to  the  deep  mystery,  which  it  even  now' 
seems  hkely  will  not  be  solved  in  all  its  ramifications,  until 
the  great  day  of  final  account. 

From  this  period  the  character  of  Anti-masonry  began 
to  change.  Indeed  the  effervescence  which,  during  so  many 
months,  had  kept  a  large  section  of  the  state  in  ceaseless 
agitation,  had  been  gradually  subsiding  for  some  time.  It 
was  in  truth  impossible  that  it  should  be  otherwise.  There 
must  necessarily  be  a  point,  above  which  the  passions  can- 
not rise,  and  a  stage,  beyond  which  popular  excitement  and 
delusion  cannot  be  carried.  The  crises — the  highest  peri- 
ods of  action — cannot  continue  long,  ere  the  mind  will  break, 
and  fall  into  positive  delirium.  In  these  respects,  the  law 
of  nature  is  as  imperative  in  the  physical,  as  in  the  natural 
world.    And  while  a  strong  popular  excitement  by  sufficient 


LETTER  XXXI.  337 

causes,  may  be  impelled  impetuously  forward  like  the  heav- 
ing billow  of  the  storm-driven  ocean,  yet  when  the  storm 
is  spent,  it  will  fall  back  to  its  level,  like  the  same  angry 
billow  when  it  breaks.  But  although  the  effervescence  did 
thus  pass  away,  and  the  troubled  elements  become  more 
tranquil,  there  was  no  mitigation  of  the  hatred  of  Masonry, 
and  no  faltering  in  the  determination  to  put  it  down.  The 
Anti-masons  were  less  clamorous,  perhaps,  but  not  the  less 
resolute  in  their  measures, or  fixed  in  their  purposes.  Those 
purposes  were  still  to  pursue  their  investigations  in  regard 
to  the  fate  of  Morgan — to  detect  and  punish  the  offenders, 
if  possible — and,  in  any  event,  to  carry  the  question  to  the 
polls  at  all  our  elections.  To  this  end,  measures  were  now 
taken,  and  steadily  pursued. 

Very  respectfully  yours,  &;c. 


LETTER   XXXI. 

New- York,  March  6,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  next  trial  of  persons  implicated  in  the  abduction 
of  Morgan,  and  hitherto  the  most  important  in  its  charac- 
ter and  results,  was  that  of  Eli  Bruce,  Orsamus  Turner,  and 
Jared  Darrow,  which  took  place  before  the  Court  of  Gene- 
ral Sessions  of  Ontario,  at  Canandaigua,  on  the  20th  of  Au- 
gust, 1828.  These  defendants,  it  will  be  recollected,  had 
been  jointly  indicted  for  a  conspiracy,  at  the  August  term 
of  the  same  court,  in  the  preceding  year.  The  prosecution 
was  conducted  by  Daniel  Moseley,  Esq.  the  special  coun- 
sel, assisted  by  B.  Whiting,  Esq.,  the  District  Attorney. 
The  case  was  opened  to  the  jury  by  Mr.  Whiting,  who  had 
had  much  experience  upon  the  subject.  It  was,  of  course,  ne- 
cessary again  to  go  over  with  the  whole  history  of  the  con- 

43 


338  LETTER  xxxr. 

spiracy  from  the  beginning,  wlien  the  warrant  for  the  alledg- 
ed  larceny  was  issued  against  Morgan  by  Justice  Chipnian, 
The  only  new  points  elicited  by  the  testimony  of  this  ma- 
gistrate, were,  that  when  the  warrant  was  granted  at  the 
solicitation  of  Cheseboro,  the  latter — who  well  knew  that 
he  was  going  fifty  miles  into  another  county,  to  seize  his 
victim — told  the  justice  that  Morgan  was  then  only  about 
six  miles  oiF.  The  warrant  was  directed  "  to  the  sherift', 
"  any  constable,  or  to  N.  G.  Cheseboro,  one  of  the  coroners 
"  of  this  county."  The  particulars  of  the  arrest  of  Morgan, 
were  proved  by  Halloway  Haywai'd,  and  those  of  his  being 
taken  from  the  jail  at  Canandaigua,  by  the  jailor's  wife,  as 
before.  Hiram  Hubbard,  the  keeper  of  a  livery  stable,  who 
had  driven  the  party  from  Canandaigua,  to  eighty  or  one 
hundred  rods  beyond  Hanford's  Landing,  on  the  night  of  the 
12th  September,  again  underwent  a  long  examination  ;  but 
his  memory  appeared  to  be  very  conveniently  forgetful.  He 
heard  a  cry  or  shriek,  while  harnessing  his  horses,  but  there 
was  no  signal  for  him  to  start.  The  general  details  of  the 
journey  were  the  same  as  heretofore  given,  with  the  excep- 
tion that  at  Victor,  he  did  not  recollect  where  they  had 
stopped, — whether  at  Beach's  tavern,  or  at  some  distance 
beyond — but  he  declared  that  he  only  stopped  at  the  water- 
ing trough,  and  was  not  certain  that  any  person  got  out  of 
the  carriage  there.  The  testimony  upon  this  point,  was 
widely  ditierent  from  that  adduced  upon  it,  at  the  first  trial 
before  Judge  Throop,  in  January,  1827  ; — and  it  is  surpris- 
ing how  a  man  could  discipline  his  mind  to  forget  so  well. 
At  Rochester,  just  about  day-lio:ht,  one  of  the  passengers 
left  the  carriage,  and  was  gone  abou^fiftecn  minutes,  when, 
as  the  witness  supposed,  the  same  person  returned,  and  re- 
sumed his  seat.  The  witness  scarcely  recollected  any  thing : 
but  he  presumed  that  he  wns  told  to  drive  to  Hanfc^rd's 
Landing,  as  hv  did  drive  there,  and  stopped  to  obtain  pro- 
vender for  his  horses,  but  found  none.     He  then  drove  fur- 


LETTER  XXXT.  339 

thor  on,  leaving  his  passengers,  as  heretofore  recited,  about 
one  hundred  rods  beyond  that  place,  near  a  piece  of  woods. 
He  did  not  recollect  being  told  to  keep  the  curtains  of  his 
carriage  down,  on  going  out,  but  he  rolled  them  up  before 
he  reached  Rochester,  on  his  return.  When  the  passen- 
gers left  his  carriage,  he  did  not  observe  them,  particular^ 
ly,  although  he  supposed  he  might  have  seen  them,  if  he 
had  desired  to  do  so.  He  left  his  passengers  standing  in  the 
road,  and  did  not  see  them  enter  any  other  carriage.  He 
met  two  carriages  on  his  return  to  Rochester — one  a  green 
one  ; — and  a  man  in  a  sulkey.  On  the  first  trial  of  Chese- 
boro  and  others,  Hubbard  testified  that  he  had  not  been 
paid  for  this  trip.  He  now  acknowledged  that  Cheseboro 
had  paid  him  some  months  afterwards,  while  he  was  in 
prison. 

Ezra  Pratt,  the  keeper  of  a  livery  stable  in  Rochester, 
testified,  that  on  the  13th  of  September,  he  furnished  a  hack, 
either  a  cinnamon  coloured  or  a  green  one,  to  go  to  the  in- 
stallation at  Lewiston.  It  was  called  for  by  a  man  about 
day-light,  and  he  was  told  to  charge  "  the  Grand  Chapter 
^^pro  tem.^^  for  the  use  of  it.  He  made  the  entry  thus  in 
his  books,  and  had  not  been  paid  for  the  use  of  it.  He 
had  hired  a  carriage  to  George  Ketchum,  to  go  to  Batavia, 
about  the  time  of  Morgan's  arrest  at  that  place — or  the  day 
before,  he  believed.  He  did  not  hear  of  the  abduction  of 
Morgan,  until  some  days  after  it  was  said  to  have  taken 
place,  and  had  no  knowledge  that  he  had  ever  been  trans- 
ported in  his  carriage.  He  did  not  know  who  "  the  Grand 
"  Chapter  pro  tern.,"  was,  but  presumed  that  somebody 
would  call  after  a  while,  and  pay  the  carriage  hire.  A 
number  of  other  witnesses  proved  the  movements  of  the 
carriage  at  and  about  Hanford's,  under  suspicious  circum- 
stances. Four  or  five  persons  were  in  the  carriage,  among 
whom  one  of  the  witnesses  recognized  Burrage  Smith,  as 
ho  supposed.     There  was  a  man  on  horse-back,  who  ap- 


340  LETTKR  XXXI. 

peared  to  accompany,  or  pass  the  carriage.  This  man 
was  Edward  Doyle,  of  Rochester.  Other  witnesses  satis- 
factorily proved  a  carriage  to  have  passed  along  the  Ridge 
Road,  from  the  place  where  Hubbard  had  left  his  passen- 
gers, towards  Lewiston,  under  extraordinary  circumstances ; 
not  stopping  at  public  houses,  and  being  drawn  by  horses 
belonging  to  persons  living  on  the  road ;  changed  in  bye 
places  ;  driven  by  men  who  could  not  be  ordinarily  engag- 
ed in  such  an  occupation  ;  and  generally  preceded  by  some 
one  to  procure  the  necessary  relays  of  horses.  Solomon 
C.  Wright,  the  keeper  of  the  tavern  on  the  Ridge  Road, 
where,  as  it  has  been  formerly  proved,  there  was  a  ma- 
sonic gathering  on  the  13th.,  and  where  the  mysterious  car- 
riage was  driven  into  the  barn,  was  again  examined,  but 
no  new  evidence  was  obtained  from  him.  Six  miles  west 
of  this  place,  where  the  road  from  Lockport — the  resi- 
dence of  Bruce — intersects  the  Ridge  Road — lived  Col. 
Mollineaux,  to  whom,  in  the  night  of  the  13th,  Bruce  applied 
for  horses  to  go  to  Lewiston.  Bruce  called  him  up  from 
his  bed — obtained  the  horses,  and  with  the  mysterious  car- 
riage proceeded  forward,  as  I  have  formerly  mentioned. 
Cory  don  Fox  was  Hkewise  again  a  witness  on  the  present 
trial.  His  testimony  corresponded  in  the  main,  with  that 
formerly  given,  as  to  the  arrival  of  the  carriage  in  Lewis- 
ton,  and  its  being  driven  into  a  back  street  in  the  night.  To 
this  place  he  drove  another  carriage,  took  the  passengers  out 
of  the  former,  and  proceeded  down  to  Youngstown.  The 
particulars  of  the  visit  to  the  house  of  Col.  King ;  his  join- 
ing them  ;  and  the  leaving  of  the  whole  party  near  the  bury- 
ing ground,  corresponded  with  his  former  relations.  When 
the  carriage  started  from  Lewiston,  Bruce  got  upon  the 
box,  and  told  him  to  drive  to  Col.  King's.  James  Perry,  of 
Lewiston,  who  had  testified  on  the  former  trial,  that,  while 
watching  with  a  sick  person  on  the  back  street  where  the 
carriage  came  up,  he  saw  two  persons  transfer  a  third  from 


LETTER  XXXI.  341 

one  carriage  into  another,  repeated  his  statement  as  before. 
The  person  was  without  a  hat,  and  appeared  to  be  intoxi- 
cated. He  also  saw  them  take  something  Hke  a  jug  from 
the  first  carriage.  But  Fox  swore  that  he  saw  nothing  of 
this,  and,  indeed,  observed  nothing  strange  or  unusual  in 
the  whole  affair.  He  had  often  been  called  up  before  of 
nights — and  though  never  engaged  in  smuggling,  was  not 
accustomed  to  ask  questions  about  other  people's  business. 
In  a  part  of  this  testimony,  it  will  be  observed,  Fox  forgot 
his  revelations  to  Mosher,  and  he  also  now  swore  that  he 
had  no  recollection  of  having  spoken  of  the  circumstances 
of  that  night,  as  being  in  any  wise  strange.  But  to  a  ques- 
tion whether  he  had  not  been  taken  into  a  lodge  on  the  day 
after  this  transaction,  Fox  appealed  to  the  court  for  protec- 
tion against  questions  that  might  criminate  himself.  The 
court  ruled  that  he  need  not  answer  the  interrogatory. 

Edward  Giddings,  a  personage  of  great  importance  in 
the  future  developements  of  this  history,  was  now  called 
upon  the  stand  as  a  witness,  but  objected  to  by  Mr.  Griffin, 
of  counsel  for  the  defence,  on  the  ground  of  his  being  an 
unbeliever  in  the  christian  religion,  and,  therefore,  an  in- 
competent witness.  A  number  of  witnesses  were  called 
to  establish  this  position.  A  man  named  David  Morrison, 
testified  that  he  had  known  Giddings  intimately  since  1820  ; 
had  often  heard  him  declare  his  opinion  that  there  was  no 
God  ;  and  that  a  belief  in  any  thing  spiritual  superior  to 
nature,  was  contrary  to  reason  and  philosophy.  Giddings 
used  the  term  God,  as  equivalent  to  the  laws  of  nature ; 
but  he  always  admitted  that  there  was  an  inward  monitor 
pointing  out  good  and  evil.  Morrison  said  he  had  receivr 
ed  a  letter  from  Giddings,  in  IvS26,  containing  the  same  sen- 
timents, but  he  had  never  responded  to  that  letter  in  wri- 
ting. Another  witness,  named  Gray,  from  Canada,  who 
had  resided  a  few  days  in  the  house  of  Giddings,  in  1826, 
proved  that  the  latter  had  no  belief  whatever  in  futurity, 


342  LETTER  XXXI. 

and  prided  himself  on  his  philosophy.  The  Bible,  he  said, 
was  a  pretty  story  to  amuse  children  with.  Giddings  had  a 
fine  library,  and  witness  said  they  were  in  the  habit  of 
reading  and  admiring  Voluey's  Ruins.  In  all  respects, 
other  than  his  religious  views,  Giddings  was  a  man  whose 
character  was  much  respected.  Gray  first  became  ac- 
quainted with  Giddings  in  a  masonic  lodge  ;  and  on  his  cross 
examination  he  admitted  that  he  had  come  over  from  Can- 
ada voluntarily  to  testify  against  him,  because,  as  it  was  fear- 
ed, he,  (Giddings,)  was  probably  intending  to  testify  some- 
thing against  Mr.  M'Bride.  Another  witness  swore,  that  in 
1816,  Giddings  had  inquired  of  him  what  he  thought  about 
the  being  called  God — adding,  himself,  that  he  would  as 
soon  kneel  down  to  a  cat,  a  dog,  or  a  horse,  as  to  the  be- 
ing so  called.  The  counsel  for  the  defence  then  read  the 
letter  of  Giddings,  above  referred  to,  addressed  to  Morrison. 
In  this  letter,  among  many  other  specimens  of  infidelity, 
were  the  following  sentiments. — "  God  has  the  same  care  of 
"  a  man  as  of  an  insect,  of  an  insect  as  of  a  tree,  of  a  tree  as 
"  of  a  stone.  With  him  there  can  be  no  difference  or  dis- 
"  tinction  between  beauty  and  deformity,  virtue  and  vice, 
"  perfection  and  imperfection.  Prayers  are  but  mockery 
"  to  his  name,  and  ought  not  to  be  encouraged."  "  All 
"  [that]  men  can  do,  cannot  change  him.  He  is  not  sus- 
"  ceptible  of  persuasion,  and,  as  relates  to  man,  lie  is  in- 
"  capable  of  love  or  hatred."  "  This  is  my  notion  of  vir- 
"  tue  and  vice  ;  that  they  do  not  refer  to  any  future  time, 
"  but  relate  altogether  to  man  in  his  present  state.''  "  My 
"  views  arc  not  in  accordance  with  the  Bible,  for  that  book 
"  represents  the  deity  as  vindictive,  revengeful  and  in- 
«  consistent."  The  date  of  this  letter  was  April  10th,  1827. 
The  counsel  for  the  defence,  himself,  swore,  that  in  the  pre- 
ceding month  of  May,  he  had  called  on  Giddings,  and  held 
some  conversation  with  him  about  the  approaching  trials. 
He  told  Giddings  that  they  meant  to  shut  out  his  testimony, 


LETTER  XXXI,  S4B 

but  they  were   afraid  Mr.  B ,  (a  zealou/ proselyting 

professor  of  religion,  since  deceased,)  would  convert  him. 

To  this  Giddings  replied  that  B was  the  last  man  who 

could  convert  him. 

To  sustain  the  character  of  Giddings,  and  counteract  the 
preceding  testimony  against  him,  a  number  of  persons  were 
called  by  the  prosecution.      One  witness  testified  that  he 
had  known  Giddings  fourteen  years,  and  had  often  held  con- 
versations with  him  on  religious  subjects,  in  which  he  had 
always  expressed  his  belief  in  a  supreme  being.     He  had 
heard  him  so  express  his  belief  within  fifteen  months  pre- 
ceding the  examination.     He  had  never  heard  Giddings  say 
that  man  was  not  responsible  to  God,  or  that  God  would  not 
punish  man ;  and  it  was  never  questioned  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, but  that  he  believed  in  a  supreme  being,  and  relied 
upon  his  protection.     Another  witness  testified  to  a  perfect- 
ly  accidental  conversation  with  Giddings,  just  about  one 
year  previously,  while  waiting  at  the  ferry.     This  conver- 
sation was  astronomical,  and  Giddings  then  avowed  his  be- 
lief in  a  deity,  who  created  and  superintended  all  things. 
Nothing,  he  said  on  that  occasion,  came  by  chance.     An- 
other witness,  (the  new  sherift'  of  Niagara,)  who  had  known 
Giddings  seven  years,  having  heard  that  he  did  not  believe 
in  the  existence  of  a  God,  asked  him  how  it  was.     Giddings 
replied  that  he  believed  in  an  overruling  providence,  or  su- 
preme being, — he  [the  witness]  not  recollecting  which  term 
he  had  used.     Giddings  also  added  his  belief  that  virtue  was 
rewarded,  and  vice  punished.     The  counsel  for  the  prose- 
cution here  put  in  and  read  two  letters  ; — the  first  was  from 
Morrison  to  Giddings,  in  which  he  responded  fully  to  the 
sentiments  contained  in  the  letter  quoted  above,  although  M. 
had  just  sworn  that  he  had  written  him  no  reply.     The  se- 
cond was  a  letter  dated  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  April  19,  1818, 
from  Mr.  Giddinp^s  to  his  wife,  in  which  he  twice  recogniz- 


344  LETTER  XXXI. 

ed  a  God,  and  earnestly  invoked  his  protection  for  health 
and  safety  to  return  to  his  family. 

The  prosecution  then  proposed  to  adduce  testimony  of 
the  good  character  of  Giddings ;  but  the  court  remarked, 
that  moral  character,  however  stainless,  would  not  obviate 
the  objection.  The  law  requires  a  higher  sanction  for  the 
administration  of  an  oath.  The  question  of  admitting  the 
witness  to  be  sworn,  was  argued  at  length  by  the  counsel 
of  both  sides;  but  the  court,  after  consultation,  ruled  that 
the  sentiments  of  Giddings  rendered  his  testimony  inadmis- 
sible. A  person,  to  be  a  competent  witness,  must  believe  in 
a  supreme  being  who  holds  men  accountable  for  their  con- 
duct. No  man,  said  Judge  Howell,  can  be  a  witness,  who 
denies  this  accountability. 

Elisha  Adams  was  then  called  upon  the  stand.  The  coun- 
sel for  the  defendants  remarked,  that  as  Mr.  A.  stood  indict- 
ed for  a  participation  in  the  same  offence,  they  hoped  the 
court  would  be  careful  that  his  rights  were  not  invaded.  A 
long  examination  followed,  but  nothing  of  importance  was 
elicited  from  this  witness.  The  only  fact  bearing  upon  the 
question,  was  an  acknowledgment  that  Giddings  came  into 
the  woods  where  he  was  at  work,  and  requested  him  to  go 
and  see  Col.  King,  Dr.  Maxwell,  and  Obed  Smith.  On  his 
cross-examination,  he  said  this  incident  occurred  the  spring 
succeeding  the  outrage  upon  Morgan ;  but  he  was  also  com- 
pelled to  acknowledge  the  fact,  that  King  had  left  the  coun- 
try in  the  previous  autumn,  and  was  not  at  Youngstown  at 
any  time  in  the  spring  of  1827. 

The  next  witness  called  was  John  Jackson;  and  as  his 
evidence  afibrds  a  striking  specimen  of  that  description  of 
testimony  which  has  contributed  so  much  to  the  public  dis- 
satisfaction in  regard  to  what  have  been  called  "  masonic 
"  witnesses,"  1  think  it  important  to  give  his  examination 
without  much  abridgment.     The  report  1  am  compressing, 


LETTER  XXXI.  345 

is  that  of  the^  Anti-masonic  Inquirer,  of  Rochester,  which 
Mr.  Moseley,  the  special  counsel,  has  certified  to  a  commit- 
tee of  the  legislature  to  be  substantially  correct.  John 
Jackson  lived  at  Lockport,  in  1826,  but  was  at  the  house  of 
Giddings  on  the  night  of  the  13th  of  September  ;  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  14th — 

"  They  were  all  going  to  the  installation  at  Lewlston  ;  Mr.  Giddings  did 
not  go  ;  witness  did  not  go  with  the  rest ;  Giddings  went  to  the  fort  in  the 
morning,  accompanied  by  witness  ;  don't  recollect  what  Giddings  carried 
with  him  ;  it  might  have  been  provisions  ;  Giddings  had  some  drink  too  ; 
thinks  he  did  take  some  food  up  ;  don't  know  whether  it  was  in  his  hand,  on 
his  arm,  or  tied  round  his  body  ;  Giddings  went  toioards  the  magazine  ;  wit- 
ness did  not  see  hira  open  it ;  believes  he  saw  the  door  of  the  magazine  open; 
supposes  Giddings  opened  it ;  did  not  see  any  body  in  the  magazine  ;  heard 
a  noise  ;  don't  know  what  it  was  ;  it  was  a  voice  from  the  magazine  ;  did  not 
see  any  body  ;  don't  know  whether  it  was  a  man  or  a  woman  ;  it  was  the 
voice  of  a  person  ;  did  not  see  Giddings  leave  any  thing  in  the  magazine  j 
don't  know  that  there  is  any  window  to  the  magazine  ;  witness  did  not  stay 
there  long;  don't  recollect  what  conversation  Giddings  had  with  the  person 
in  the  magazine  ;  saw  Giddings  have  a  pistol  at  the  house ;  don't  recollect 
seeing  it  at  the  magazine  ;  Giddings  presented  the  pistol  to  witness,  but  he 
declined  taking  it ;  did  not  see  Giddings  lay  it  down ;  heard  something  said 
at  the  magazine  about  a  pistol,  but  don't  recollect  certain  what  it  was  ;  don't 
know  exactly  whether  Giddings  opened  the  door  of  the  magazine  ;  thinks  the 
door  was  open,  and  that  Giddmgs  conversed  with  a  man  who  was  inside  ; 
don't  know  but  Giddings  said,  "  here  is  some  victuals  and  drink  for  you;'* 
did  not  stand  very  near  the  magazine  door  ;  might  have  been  two  rods  off; 
don't  recollect  but  that  Giddings  might  have  spoken  to  the  voice  within,  about 
the  pistol.  "When  Giddings  opened  the  door,  witness  might  have  been  look- 
ing the  other  way ;  Giddings  did  not  go  into  the  magazine  ;  the  noise  wa« 
not  very  loud ;  don't  recollect  any  words;  heard  the  noise  after  he  got  away; 
he  was  for  making  off  when  he  heard  the  voice ;  did  not  see  Giddings  leave 
any  thing  with  the  man  ;  did  not  see  him  take  any  thing  back  to  the  house  ; 
if  he  took  provisions  up,  he  presumed  that  he  left  them;  saw  Giddings  take 
the  pistol  up  as  they  started  to  go  to  the  fort ;  witness  thought  it  was  time  to 
he  miseing,  when  he  heard  the  noise  ;  Giddings  did  talk  to  the  man  in  the 
magaains ;  witness  did  not  stop  to  sss  any  doer  shut." 

To  a  question  whether  the  witness  carried  the  pistol  to 
the  person  who  owned  it,  the  counsel  for  the  defendants  ob- 

44 


346  LETTER  XXXI. 

jected,  which  objection  the  court  sustained.  The  court  also 
decided  that  it  was  improper  to  ask  the  witness  if  Giddings 
told  him  that  the  person  in  the  magazine  was  William  Mor- 
gan. On  a  second  call  to  the  stand,  Jackson  testified  that 
he  had  told  a  person  at  Lewiston,  on  the  same  day,  that  a 
man  was  confined  in  the  magazine  ;  but  the  person  to  whom 
he  thus  told  it,  was  now  dead. 

Another  witness  was  down  at  the  fort  three  or  four  days 
after  the  installation  on  the  14th  September :  he  had  heard 
that  a  man  was  imprisoned  there,  and  talked  with  Giddings 
about  it,  but  he  did  not  visit  the  fort  himself,  although  Gid- 
dings went  thither  while  witness  was  at  his  house. 

The  testimony  on  behalf  of  the  prosecution  was  here 
rested,  and  the  counsel  for  the  defence  called  Nicholas  G. 
Cheseboro ;  but  after  a  few  moments  of  consultation,  declin- 
ed having  him  sworn. 

The  counsel  for  the  prosecution  then  stated  that  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Giddings  had  entirely  de- 
prived them  of  their  testimony  against  Turner  and  Darrow, 
two  of  the  defendants.  It  was  therefore  proper  for  the  jury 
to  pass  upon  their  cases  at  that  stage  of  the  proceedings. 
These  parties  were  accordingly  acquitted  instanter. 

Gen.  Matthews,  of  counsel  for  the  defence,  now  interpos- 
ed an  objection  to  the  validity  of  the  indictment.  That  in- 
strument set  forth  a  conspiracy  at  Canandaigua,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Ontario,  to  imprison  and  kidnap  William  Morgan, 
and  that  in  pursuance  of  that  conspiracy,  he  vras  imprisoned 
and  carried  away,  or  in  other  w^ords  abducted.  The  truth 
was,  that  Morgan  was  imprisoned  there,  in  Ontario  county  j 
and  so  far  as  Bruce  was  concerned,  according  to  the  evi- 
dence, he  had  only  helped  to  carry  him  away  in  Niagara 
county,  and  confine  him  i  lie  re.  If  Bruce  had  therefore 
committed  any  oftence,  it  was  that  of  false-imprisonment, 
in  which  net  the  indictment  must  be  merged.     That  oflfenf*e 


LETTER  XXXI.  347 

being  local,  the  counsel  contended  that  the  county  of  Onta- 
rio could  have  no  jurisdiction  in  the  case, — the  defendant 
having  a  right  at  common  lav^  to  be  tried  in  the  county 
where  the  crime  is  pi'oved  to  iiave  been  committed. 

The  points  thus  raised,  were  ably  and  ingeniously  argued 
upon  both  sides.  The  court  entertaining  doubts  upon  the 
question  thus  presented,  intimated  that  should  the  defendant 
be  convicted,  the  sentence  would  be  suspended  until  the 
matter  should  have  been  carried  up  and  decided  in  the  Su- 
preme Court. 

W.  H.  Adams,  Esq.,  summed  up  the  case  to  the  jury  for 
the  defence,  and  Mr.  Moseley  closed  on  the  part  of  the  peo- 
ple. After  an  absence  of  four  hours,  the  jury  returned  into 
court  with  a  verdict  of  GUILTY. 

I  must  confess  my  surprise  at  this  result,  because,  strong 
as  were  the  circumstances  to  warrant  the  belief  that  Mor- 
gan was  in  the  mysterious  carriage  that  passed  along  the 
Ridge  Road,  on  the  13th  of  September,  and  also  that  he 
was  imprisoned  in  the  magazine,  I  cannot  perceive  the 
warrant  which  the  jury  had  for  rendering  such  a  verdict. 
For  as  yet  there  was  no  proof  identifying  Morgan,  either 
as  having  been  in  the  carriage,  or  in  the  fort.  No  doubt 
existed  of  the  truth  of  the  verdict,  but  it  was  clearly  not 
rendered  according  to  law  and  evidence.  But  that  is  a 
question  of  little  moment  for  present  consideration. 

The  rejection  of  Giddings  as  a  witness,  was  a  sore  disap- 
pointment to  the  people.  It  was  known  from  the  partial 
disclosures  he  had  made  to  the  grand  jury,  upon  which  all 
the  above  named  defendants  were  indicted,  and  from  many 
other  of  his  declarations,  that  his  testimony,  if  received, 
would  be  of  the  highest  importance.  Nothwithstanding, 
moreover,  the  liberality  of  his  opinions  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, his  general  character  for  truth  and  veracity,  and  in 
all  other  respects,  as  a  respectable  and  moral  citizen,  was 
decidedly  good.     The  facts  intended  to  have  been  proved 


348  LETTER  XXXI. 

by  Giddings, in  regard  to  Turner  and  Darrow,  were  these: 
It  had  been  well  ascertained  by  this  time,  that  three  or 
four  projects  had  been  originally  devised  for  carrying  Mor- 
gan away.  One  was  organized  at  Buffalo,  to  take  him 
from  Batavia  thence ;  a  second  was  to  have  taken  him 
from  Batavia  to  Niagara  direct,  passing  through  Lock- 
port.  The  third,  for  taking  him  to  Canandaigua,  was  exe- 
cuted. But  in  connexion  with  the  second,  it  was  believed 
that  Turner  and  Darrow — both  living  at  Lock  port,  and 
the  former  the  editor  of  a  paper  at  that  place, — had  been 
sent  to  Canada  to  negociate  with  the  Masons  there  for  the 
reception  of  Morgan,  when  he  should  arrive.  Failing  in> 
this  project,  they  returned,  and,  with  Col.  King  and  Gid- 
dings, made  arrangements  for  imprisoning  their  victim  in 
the  magazine  at  Niagara,  until  the  question  of  his  final 
disposition  should  be  determined.  Such,  briefly,  were  the 
facts,  respecting  Turner  and  Darrow,  which  it  was  intend- 
ed to  have  been  proved  by  Giddings,  as  also  the  personal 
identity  of  the  person  confined  in  the  Magazine,  according 
to  the  evasive,  quibbling  and  reluctant  testimony  of 
Jackson. 

It  is  true  that  a  part  of  the  testimony  against  Giddings — 
in  regard  to  his  religious  belief — was  of  a  questionable 
character.  The  first  witness,  however,  had  neutralized  his 
own  testimony  by  swearing  to  what  was  undeniably  prov- 
ed not  to  be  true,  before  he  left  the  court ;  and  another 
witness  had  avowedly  come  from  Canada,  a  long  distance, 
as  a  volunteer  to  protect  a  gentleman  who  was  more  than 
suspected  of  some  participation  in  the  outrage.  But  still, 
the  burden  of  proof  was  against  Giddings,  and  the  court 
were  clearly  right  in  rejecting  him,  both  by  the  principles 
of  the  constitution  and  the  common  law.  The  courts  of 
this  state,  when  the  bench  was  occupied  by  Kent,  Spencer, 
Thompson  and  Piatt — ranking  amongst  the  most  exalted  ju- 
rists of  the  country — had  maintained  the  principle — incor- 


LETTKK  XXXT.  849 

porated,  I  believe  in  one  of  our  statutes — thai  a  belief  in 
the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  and  a  Juture  state  of  re- 
wards and  punishments,  is  an  indispensable  requirement  in 
a  witness.  In  the  formation  of  our  new  constitution,  in 
1821,  a  strong  attempt  had  been  made  to  overthrow  this 
principle  ;  but  the  project  was  successfully  resisted  by  the 
then  Chancellor  Kent,  and  Chief  Justice  Spencer,  together 
with  the  late  Rufus  King,  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  and  others, 
who  contended  that  atheists  and  blasphemers  must  be  held 
in  check,  or  we  should  endanger  the  security  of  life,  liberty 
and  property,  and  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  our  families. 
Chancellor  Kent  said  in  that  convention — indeed  it  was  ad- 
mitted on  all  hands,  for  it  could  not  be  denied, — that  while 
the  Christian  Religion  had  never  been  declared,  or  intended 
to  be  declared,  the  legal  religion  of  the  state,  yet  it  was  in 
fact,  the  religion  of  the  people  of  the  state.  It  was  the  foun- 
dation of  all  belief  and  expectation  of  a  future  state,  and  the 
source  and  security  of  moral  obligation.  The  statute  di- 
recting the  administering  of  an  oath,  referred  to  the  Bible 
as  the  sanction  to  it,  on  the  ground  that  the  Bible  was  a 
volume  of  divine  inspiration,  and  the  oracle  of  the  most  af- 
fecting truths  that  could  command  the  assent,  or  awaken  the 
fears,  or  exercise  the  hopes,  of  mankind.  Mr.  King  observ- 
ed in  the  '  course  of  the  debates  to  which  I  have  referred, 
that  while  the  religions  of  all  mankind  are  by  our  laws  tole- 
rated, yet  the  religious  professions  of  the  Pagan,  the  Ma- 
hometan, and  the  Christian,  are  not,  in  the  eye  of  the  law, 
of  equal  truth  and  excellence.  According  to  the  christian 
system,  men  pass  into  a  future  state  of  existence,  where  the 
deeds  of  their  lives  become  the  subject  of  reward  or  pun- 
ishment ; — the  moral  law  rests  upon  the  truth  of  this  doc- 
trine, without  which  it  has  no  sufficient  sanction.  Our  laws 
constantly  refer  to  this  revelation,  and  by  the  oath  which 
they  prescribe,  we  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Being,  so  to  deal 
with  us  hereafter,  as  we  observe  the  obligation  of  our  oaths. 


950  LETTER  xxxir. 

The  pagan  world  were,  and  are,  without  the  mighty  influ- 
ence of  this  principle,  which  is  proclaimed  in  the  christian 
system — their  morals  were  destitute  of  its  powerful  sanc- 
tion, while  their  oaths  neither  awakened  the  hopes,  nor  the 
fears,  which  a  belief  in  Christianity  inspires.  Vice  Presi- 
dent Tompkins  maintained  the  same  doctrines,  insisting  that 
the  principle  must  be  preserved,  to  suppress  those  outrages 
on  public  opinion  and  public  feeling,  which  would  otherwise 
reduce  the  community  to  a  state  of  barbarism,  corrupt  it 
purity,  and  debase  the  mind.*  The  principle  was  retain- 
ed :  and  under  it,  the  testimony  of  Giddings,  on  that  occa- 
sion, was  rightly  rejected. 

I  am,  sir,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER   XXXII. 

New- York,  March  8, 1832. 
Sir, 

The  general  election  of  this  state,  occurring  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1828,  connected  as  it  was,  with  the  last  election  of 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  as  both  were,  with  the 
progress  of  Anti-masonry,  requires  a  passing  notice  in  this 
place.  That  election  was  considered  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance, both  in  reference  to  the  affairs  of  the  state  and  na- 
tion. On  the  decease  of  Gov.  Clinton,  the  power  of  the 
state  had  fallen  entirely  into  the  hands  of  those  who  had 
been  the  most  bitter  and  persevering  in  theii^  opposition  to 
him  while  living.  Those,  therefore,  who  had  lost  power 
by  that  melancholy  event,  were  anxious  again  to  recover 
it,  and  to  place  the  executive  department  in  the  hands  of 
some  efficient  statesman,  who  would  preserve  the  dignity  of 

*  Vide  Carter  &  Stone's  Reports,  N.  Y.  Convention,  pp.  463—465,  and 
574—576. 


LETTER  XXXIl.  351 

our  state  government,  by  administering  it  for  the  benefit  of 
the  entire  people,  rather  than  merely  to  answer  the  selfish 
purposes  of  a  party.  In  regard  to  the  election  of  President 
of  the  United  States,  likewise,  deep  solicitude  was  felt  for 
the  result. 

Through  the  whole  contest  of  the  election  of  1824,  the 
people  of  this  state  had  been  very  decidedly  in  favor  of  the 
gentleman  who  succeeded,  and  of  whom  I  should  probably 
speak  more  at  large  at  this  moment,  were  it  not  for  conside- 
rations of  delicacy.  And  although  the  politics  of  New* 
York  have  not  been  remarkably  stable,  yet  for  the  first  two 
years  of  the  administration  to  which  I  refer,  it  received  the 
cordial  support  of  a  very  large  majority  of  the  people. 

There  had,  it  is  true,  been  a  great  and  visible  change  in 
the  sentiments  of  a  portion  of  the  people,  arising  from  the 
change  of  position  of  certain  leading  politicians  who  have 
signalized  themselves  in  wielding  the  destinies  of  parties  in 
this  state  ;  but  it  was  still  believed,  by  the  National  Repub- 
licans, that  on  a  fair  trial  of  strength,  notwithstanding  the 
defections  which  had  been  witnessed  on  every  side,  a  hand- 
some majority  would  yet  be  found  sustaining  an  administra- 
tion of  whose  measures,  irrespective  of  men,  no  complaint 
had  been  made.  But  in  order  to  justify  such  an  expecta- 
tion, it  was  indispensably  necessary  that  all  those  opposed 
to  the  reigning  powers  at  Albany,  should  act  in  concert. 
No  party  could  shut  their  eyes  to  the  fact,  that,  as  the  Anti- 
masons  had  been  continuing  and  extending  their  political 
organization  through  the  spring  and  summer,  with  great  in- 
dustry and  activity,  no  inconsiderable  array  of  their  strength 
would  be  found  at  the  polls  of  the  western  elections  ;  and 
the  political  influence  of  that  new  party  was  rapidly  extend- 
ing into  other  sections  of  the  state.  Unfortunately,  howe- 
ver, for  the  National  Republicans,  the  accessions  to  the  new 
party,  were  chiefly  from  their  own  rtuiks — the  more  rigid 


362  LETTER  XXXII. 

party  discipline  of  the  Tammany  party,  being  at  all  time* 
much  better  calculated  than  that  of  their  opponents,  to  pre- 
vent desertions.  While,  therefore,  the  friends  of  the  then 
administration,  were  thus  divided  by  this  novel  schism  of 
Anti-masonry,  the  friends  of  the  central  power  at  Albany, 
having,  after  two  years  of  considerate  balancing  upon  the 
neutral  ground  of  non-committalism,  determined,  in  1827, 
to  sustain  the  pretensions  of  General  Jackson, — had  been 
reinforced  by  a  portion  of  the  old  Clintonians  proper,  and 
the  disappointed  expectants  of  place,  of  all  parties. 

These  circumstances  alone  would  have  rendered  the  po- 
sition of  the  National  Republicans  sufficiently  difficult,  but 
there  were  other  peculiarities  in  the  case,  which  added 
seven-fold  to  these  perplexities.  The  great  body  of  the 
supporters  of  the  administration,  and  who  were  in  favor  of 
re-electing  the  President,  in  opposition  to  General  Jackson, 
in  the  old  parts  of  the  state,  where  Anti-masonry  was  little 
known,  cared  not  a  rush  whether  the  candidates  for  Gover- 
nor and  Lieut.  Governor  were  Masons  or  not.  But  the 
Anti-masons  were  determined,  not  only  that  their  candidates 
should  not  be  Freemasons,  but  that  they  should  be  Anti- 
masons  :  while  a  large  number  of  our  most  zealous  and 
worthy  political  friends, — soundly  with  us  both  in  state  and 
national  politics, — being  unrenouncing  Freemasons,  were  so 
bitterly  hostile  to  the  spirit  of  Anti-masonry,  that  we  anti- 
cipated,— not  without  reason,  as  it  proved  in  the  end, — that 
great  difficulties  would  be  encountered  in  bringing  them  to 
act  together  upon  any  subject.  Still,  discordant  as  were 
the  materials,  it  was  essential  to  success,  that  they  should 
be  brought  to  act  together.  In  regard  to  measures  of  public 
policy,  however,  both  state  and  national,  there,  was  no  essen- 
tial difference  of  opinion  between  the  Anti-masons  and  the 
National  Republicans:  and  hopes  were  for  a  long  time  en- 
tertained, that  an  honorable  compromise  might  be  effected, 
which  would  be  mutually  satisfactory. 


LETTER  XXXII.  353 

The  Lg  Roy  Convention  of  March  6 — 8,  had  prescribed 
the  4th  of  August  as  the  day  for  holding  their  state  convention 
at  Utica.  It  was  well  understood  that  Mr.  Francis  Granger 
would  be  named  as  their  candidat?  for  Governor.  This 
gentleman,  a  son  of  the  former  distinguished  Post  Master 
General,  and  inheriting  much  of  his  father's  genius  and  po- 
pular address,  by  a  short  and  brilliant  career  in  the  state  le- 
gislature, had  rendered  himself  a  very  general  favorite 
among  the  people.  His  course  in  the  House  of  Assembly, 
upon  the  Anti-masonic  question,  had  been  fair  and  liberal, 
and  yet  so  much  in  favor  of  the  Anti-masons,  that  they  had 
set  their  hearts  upon  his  election  as  Governor.  It  being  al- 
so well  understood  that  the  national  administration  had  no 
more  decided  friend  than  Mr.  Granger,  in  this  state,  his 
Anti-masonic  friends  flattered  themselves  that  the  National 
Republican  Party,  although  at  that  time  out-numbering  them 
in  the  proportion  of  nearly  foMr  to  o?ie,  would  unite  with  them 
in  that  nomination.  The  position,  likewise,  of  Mr.  Granger, 
as  a  western  man, — living  in  the  richest  and  most  beautiful 
portion  of  our  state,  from  whence  a  Governor  had  never 
been  selected, — and  where  he  would  be  supported,  as  it  was 
supposed,  with  the  greater  unanimity,  by  a  western  esprit 
du  corps,  gave  him  another  advantage. 

Still,  it  was  feared,  by  the  veteran  politicians, — for  the 
younger  men  were  generally  in  favor  of  Granger, — that  he 
was  rather  too  young  a  man  to  be  proposed  as  a  candidate 
for  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  state.  His  fine  talents,  and 
his  great  personal  worth,  were  universally  conceded  ;  but 
in  addition  to  his  want  of  years,  it  was  apprehended  that  he 
was  not  yet  sufficiently  known  in  the  older  parts  of  the 
state,  to  command  a  strong  vote  for  the  office  of  Governor. 
There  were  too  many  important  considerations  involved  in 
that  election,  to  justify  rash  experiments.  Hence  it  was 
deemed  advisable  to  convene  an  administration  convention 
at  Utica,  to  meet  a  few  days  earlier  than  the  day  on  which 

45 


354  LETTER  XXXII. 

the  Anti-masons  had  been  summoned.  The  object  was 
neither  to  discard  Mr.  Granger,  nor  to  irritate  his  friends  ; 
but,  if  possible,  to  conciliate  them  by  measures,  in  which,  if 
they  were  reasonable  men,  as  it  was  hoped  they  were,  they 
would  acquiesce, — in  which  event,  victory  over  the  com- 
bined forces,  and  parti-colored  banner  of  our  opponents, 
would  be  certain  and  triumphant. 

For  this  purpose,  it  w^as  necessary  to  select  a  candidate 
for  Governor,  standing  prominently  before  the  pubUc  for  his 
talents  and  virtues,  and  who,  withal,  was  no  Freemason. 
By  voluntarily  making  this  concession  to  the  Anti-masons, 
and  in  connexion  with  such  a  candidate,  of  high  and  exalted 
worth,  having  Mr.  Granger  for  the  office  of  Lieut.  Governor, 
a  confident  expectation  was  entertamed,  that  there  might  be 
a  thorough  understanding,  and  a  perfect  coincidence  of  ac- 
tion. Exactly  such  a  candidate  was  found  in  the  person  of 
Smith  Thompson — then,  as  now,  one  of  the  firmest  pillars 
of  the  national  judiciary.  He  w^as  most  reluctant  to  allow 
his  name  to  be  used,  and  never  fully  gave  his  consent; — but 
his  long  and  useful  public  life,— his  great  purity  of  character, — 
his  ripe  scholarship, — his  eminent  services  upon  the  bench 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  this  state  ;  in  the  cabinet  of  Presi- 
dent Monroe  ;  and  in  the  situation  which  he  yet  adorns, — 
together  with  the  fact  that  he  had  never  been  a  Freema- 
son,— pointed  him  out  as  the  man,  and  the  only  man,  who 
could  render  the  most  essential  service  to  his  country,  in 
that  emergency.  Under  these  circumstances,  therefore,  he 
was  prevailed  upon  by  the  most  pressing  solicitation  of  his 
friends,  to  allow  the  use  of  his  name  as  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  Governor.  The  National  Republican  Convention 
convened  at*  Utica,  on  the  23d  of  August,  and  with  great 
enthusiasm  and  unanimity,  nominated  this  gentleman  for 
Governor,  and  Mr.  Granger  for  the  second  office  of  the  state. 
Never  was  a  nomination  more  cordially  received  by  the 
party  for  whose  support  it  was  intended,  than  this,  and  the 
prospect  of  success  was  tliought  to  be  very  fair. 


LETTER  XXXTI.  355 

The  9th  of  August  speedily  came,  and  with  it  the  Anti- 
masonic  Convention.  But  instead  of  showing  any  disposi- 
tion to  unite  upon  those  nominations,  there  was  a  sudden 
determination  to  oppose  them.  It  was  not  enough  that 
Judge  Thompson  was  not  a  Mason ;  they  had  no  evidence 
that  he  was  an  Anti-mason.  Nor,  if  he  had  been  such, 
would  that  have  been  sufficient ; — to  be  entitled  to  their  sup- 
port, he  must  be  an  Anti-mason,  selected  and  nominated  by 
themselves  alone.  This  convention,  therefore,  proceeded 
to  nominate  an  independent  ticket  for  Governor  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor— naming  Francis  Granger  for  the  former 
office,  and  Mr.  John  Crary  for  the  latter.  Mr.  C.  very  prompt- 
ly accepted  the  nomination,  although  he  had  indirectly  pro- 
mised to  decline,  should  Mr.  Granger  do  so,  and,  only 
two  months  before,  had  apparently  been  among  those 
who  were  most  anxious  to  have  Messrs.  Thompson  and 
Granger  nominated  by  the  friends  of  the  administration. 

At  the  time  the  second  nomination  was  made,  Mr.  Gran- 
ger had  not  accepted  the  ffi'st ;  and  all  eyes  were  now  turn- 
ed to  the  west,  to  learn  the  result  of  his  decision.  It  was 
still  hoped  by  the  National  Republicans,  that  he  would  choose 
to  abide  their  nomination, — in  which  event  it  was  presum- 
ed the  Anti-masons  would  not  think  of  naming  another  can- 
didate, but  generally  acquiesce  in  the  first  nomination.  Af- 
ter nearly  a  month's  consideration, — that  is  to  say,  on  the 
30th  of  August, — Mr.  Granger  made  his  election.  He  had 
been  placed  in  a  very  difficult  and  delicate  position,  by  his 
friends  of  both  parties ;  but  at  length,  in  a  letter  equally  cre- 
ditable to  his  head  and  his  heart,  declined  the  Anti-masonic 
nomination  for  the  higher  office,  and  accepted  that  which 
had  been  proftered  him  first.  But  the  satisfaction  of  the  Na- 
tional Republicans  at  this  result,  was  only  momentary,  and 
they  were  soon  taught  that  they  might  as  well  attempt  to 
grasp  the  lightning,  or  draw  out  leviathan  with  a  hook,  as  di- 
vert the  new  party  from  its  purposes.  The  whole  mass  of  it 


356  LETTER  XXXJI. 

turned  their  backs  upon  the  previous  state  nominations,  al- 
most as  one  man,  and  nominated  Solomon  Southwick  as  a 
candidate  for  Governor  !  Not  that  they  thought  him  a  pro- 
per person  for  that  station, — not  that  there  was  the  remot- 
est possibihty  of  his  success, — not  that  they  even  desired 
success.  But  they  were  angry  at  having  their  favorite  can- 
didate taken  from  them,  and  this  last  selection,  as  they 
openly  told  us,  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the 
irrepressible  energy,  and  the  indomitable  spirit,  of  Anti-ma- 
sonry ! 

With  the  month  of  September  came  the  Tammany-Jack- 
son Convention,  at  Herkimer,  at  which  Martin  Van  Buren 
was  nominated  for  Governor,  and  our  present  Governor, 
Throop,  for  his  Lieutenant.      Divided  as  were  the  friends 
of  the  national  administration,  none  was  so  blind  as  not  to 
foresee,  that  the  contest  for  the  executive  offices  of  the  state, 
w^as  hopeless.     Gen.  Jackson,  how^ever,  w^as  a  Freemason, 
and  Mr.  Adams  was  not, — and  hopes  were  entertained  that 
from  this  circumstance,  the  opponents  of  the  former  would 
present  an  unbroken  front  upon  the  presidential  election, 
whatever  might  be  their  minor  differences.     But  "  unto- 
*^  w^ard  circumstances"  seemed  to  tread  each  other's  heels. 
Many  of  the  papers  then  in  opposition,  with  a  degree  of 
recklessness  but  too  common  in  our  political  controversies, 
began  to  insinuate,  and  soon  afterwards  boldly  to  declare, 
that  Mr.  Adams  was  a  Freemason,  as  much  so  as  General 
Jackson.     The  natural  effect  of  this  assertion  was  to  drive 
a  portion  of  the  Anti-masons  back  upon  their  original  par- 
tialities in  the  presidential  contest,  regardless  of  their  con- 
nexion with  the  new  party.      To    counteract  this  effect, 
an  individual  at  Canandaigua  who  had  some  time  previously 
written  directly  to  Mr.  Adams  for  information  upon  that 
point,  now  published  his  reply,  although  Mr.  A.  had  ex- 
pressly enjoined  his  correspondent  not  to  publish  it.     Un- 
fortunately, as  it  proved,  though  evidently  undesigned  by 


LETTER  XXXII.  357 

the  writer  of  the  letter,  it  contained  an  expression  which 
gave  offence  to  many  thousands  of  those  most  sensitive  of 
all  beings,  the  acting  Freemasons.  In  stating  that  he  was 
not  a  Mason,  the  writer  had  simply  added,  "  that  he  never 
"  should  be  one."  Nor  was  it  very  likely,  after  arriving  at 
his  years,  that  he  ever  w^'ould,  even  though  Morgan  and 
Anti-masonry  had  never  been  known.  But  all  looks  yellow 
to  the  jaundiced  eye ;  and  although  the  letter  was  strictly 
confidential,  and  the  gentleman  to  whom  it  was  addressed 
was  positively  charged  not  to  publish  it,  yet  the  unfortunate 
expression  was  greedily  seized  upon  by  the  party  jackalls, 
for  the  purposes  of  mischief,  and  many  were  the  good  men 
who  worked  themselves  into  the  belief  that  they  themselves, 
and  the  whole  masonic  fraternity,  had  been  grievously  insult- 
ed !  Certain  it  is,  that  the  misrepresentation  of  this  very  inno- 
cent affair,  had  considerable  effect  in  this  state  ;  while  it  is 
believed  that  the  vote  of  Ohio  for  Gen.  Jackson,  was  justly 
to  be  attributed  to  the  masonic  indignation  kindled  there 
upon  the  subject  of  that  letter. 

The  friends  of  the  administration  had  yet  another  misfor- 
tuae  to  encounter.  Just  on  the  eve  of  the  election,  when 
it  was  too  late  to  counteract  the  calumny,  a  poor  wretch 
in  the  county  of  Onondaga, — then  the  eastern  boundary  of 
Anti-masonry, — was  induced  to  charge  Mr.  Adams  with 
falsehood,  in  having  denied  that  he  was  a  Mason,  and  by 
solemn  affidavit  to  swear  that  he  not  only  knew  to  the  con- 
trary, but  that  he  had  repeatedly  sat  in  lodges  with  him,  and 
that  even  so  lately  as  1817  or  1818,  when,  as  he  averred, 
Mr.  A.  had  made  a  visit  to  Pittsfield,  Mass.  So  high  did 
this  profligate  witness  declare  the  masonic  character  of  the 
President  to  be,  that  extra  lodges  were  called  in  his  honor, 
which  he  attended,  the  deponent  himself  being  present ! 
The  boldness  and  particularity  of  these  charges,  made  un^ 
der  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  were  appalling.     Those  ac^ 


358  LETTER  xxxn. 

quainted  with  the  high  and  unblemished  character  of  the 
President,  knew  that  a  foul  perjury  had  been  comniitted,  as 
the  last  deperate  resort  of  party  ;  but  among  the  common 
people,  it  would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  counteract 
so  audacious  an  imposture.  The  western  country  was 
flooded  with  hand-bills  containing  the  perjuries  of  this 
wretched  instrument  of  political  knavery  ;  and  although  an 
express  was  sent  to  Pittsfield,  and  counter-affidavits  ob- 
tained, establishing  the  falsehood  of  the  tale  beyond  contra- 
diction, yet  the  poison  had  done  much  of  its  work,  before 
the  antidote  could  be  applied.* 

Such  is  a  rapid  view  of  the  circumstances  under  which 
the  elections  of  New- York  were  held,  in  November,  1828, 
when  Anti-masonry  first  took  the  field  as  an  organized  po- 
litical party,  for  state  and  national  purposes.  In  regard  to 
the  presidential  election,  all  was  done  by  the  National  Re- 
publicans, that,  under  such  circumstances,  could  reasonably 
be  required  of  them.  They  lacked  but  one  of  carrying  an 
equal  number  of  the  electors,  with  their  opponents, — and 
that  one  was  lost  by  a  providential  occurrence.  In  the 
state  election,  Mr.  Van  Buren  received  136,785  votes ; 
Judge  Thompson,  106,415;  and  33,335  votes  were  madly 
thrown  away  upon  Mr.  Southwick, — by  which  means  Mr. 
Van  Buren  came  into  the  executive  chair  of  New- York, 
by  a  plurality  only.  Had  the  votes  given  for  Mr.  South- 
wick been  cast  upon  Judge  Thompson,  the  political  com- 
plexion of  New- York  would  at  the  present  time  have  been 
widely  diflTerent. 

This  letter  may  perhaps  be  considered  rather  as  an  epi- 
sode, than  as  forming  a  part  of  a  continuous  history ;  but 


*  Mr.  Adams  was  at  Wnshinjrton,  in  the  discharge  of  liis  duties  as  Se- 
cretary of  State,  at  the  time  he  was  allcdged  by  the  wretched  affidavit-ma- 
ker to  have  been  in  Pittsfiekl,  in  altendance  upon  the  lodges,  and,  indeed,  at 
tlxat  time  had  never  been  in  that  dehjihtful  town  ! 


LETTER  XXXIII.  359 

it  seems,  nevertheless,  to  be  an  essential  link  in  the  chain, 
presenting,  as  it  does,  a  view  of  the  peculiar  traits  of  the 
Anti-masonic  party,  as  they  were  then  developed,^  and 
without  which  its  history  would  not  be  complete. 

I  am,  sir,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER   XXXIIL 

New- York,  March  10,  1832. 
Sir, 

An  organized  political  party,  exhibiting,  in  the   first 
year  of  its  existence,  a  force  of  thirty-three  thousand  and  up- 
wards, and  increasing  daily,  not  only  by  accessions  from 
both  of  the  other  parties,  (as  men  became  converts  to  An- 
ti-masonry from  principle,  or  as  the   aspiring  beheld  new 
paths  opening  to  the  foot  of  "  young  ambition's  ladder,") 
was  not  likely  to  escape  the  keen  observation  of  the  new 
chief  magistrate.     The  subject  of  the  outrage  upon  Mor- 
gan, and  the  consequent  excitement,  was,  therefore,  so- 
lemnly presented  to  the  consideration  of  the   legislature, 
in  the  opening  message  of  the  session  commencing  on  the 
6th  of  January,  1829.     "  That  an  act,"  said  his  excellency, 
"  so  destructive  to  the  peace  of  society,  and  the  safety  of 
"  its  members,  should  have  made  a  deep  impression  upon 
*'  the  public  mind,  ought  not  to  surprise  us.     It  would  have 
"  been  an  unfavorable  indication  of  the  state  of  our  mor- 
"  als,  and  our  respect  for  the  laws,  had  it  been  otherwise. 
"  We  have  accordingly  witnessed  an  excitement  on  the 
*'  subject,  of  great  interest  and  extent,  amongst  a  portion 
"  of  our  citizens  greatly  and  justly  distinguished  for  their 
"  piety,  industry  and  intelligence.     It  would  not  be  cxtra- 
"  ordinary  if  attempts  should  be  made  to  pervert  this  honest 
"  indignation  of  the  people,  to  selfish  and  sinister  purposes. 


360  LETTER  XXXin. 

"  But  the  character  of  those  who  really  feel  what  they  pro- 
"  fess  on  this  subject,  affords  us  the  best  security,  that  the 
"  success  of  such  unworthy  schemes  cannot  be  great,  or 
"  of  long  duration."  Governor  Van  Buren  then  repeated 
what  his  immediate  predecessor  in  the  state  administration, 
had  said  before  him,  respecting  the  duty  of  maintaining 
the  supremacy  of  the  laws,  and  pledged  his  best  endeavors 
to  pursue  the  legal  investigations  of  the  subject,  that  the 
innocent  might  be  relieved  from  suspicion,  and  the  guilty 
brought  to  exemplary  punishment.  On  the  whole,  the 
matter  was  adroitly  managed  in  the  message.  The  origi- 
nal excitement  was  justified  and  commended ;  the  people 
engaged  in  it  were  flattered ;  and  the  true  thorough-going 
party  men  were  admonished,  that  it  would  be  unsafe  to 
enlist  in  that  cause,  since  it  could  not  be  of  long  duration. 

Accompanying  the  message  was  a  formal  report  of  Mr. 
Moseley,  the  special  commissioner,  rendering  an  account 
of  his  proceedings  in  executing  the  difficult  trust  confided 
to  him  by  his  appointment.  After  dwelling  upon  the  diffi- 
culties and  embarrassments  of  the  case,  Mr.  Moseley  in- 
formed the  governor,  that  he  had  traversed  one  indictment 
with  success,  and  had  traced  Morgan  to  the  magazine  of 
Fort  Niagara,  where  he  was  in  confinement  on  the  14th 
of  September,  1826.  "  Here,"  said  the  commissioner, 
"  are  the  boundaries  of  the  testimony.  As  to  his  fate  sub- 
"  sequently  thereto,  it  is  not  yet  developed  ;  nor  can  it  be 
"  anticipated,  with  much  confidence,  to  be  judicially  deter- 
"  mined,  by  any  tribunal  over  which  men  have  control." 

That  part  of  the  message  relating  to  this  subject,  togeth- 
er with  the  commissioner's  report,  was  referred  to  a  select 
committee,  both  in  the  Senate  and  Assembly.  The  com- 
mittee of  the  Senate  reported  on  the  14th  of  February; 
and  in  reviewing  the  whole  case  presented  to  their  consid- 
eration, occasion  was  taken  to  rebuke  his  excellency  for 
the  implied  censure  of  the  political  action  of  the  Anti-ma- 


LETTER  XXXIII.  361 

sons.  They  declared  that  the  political  movements  to  which 
the  governor  had  alluded,  had  been  characterized  "by 
"  great  devotion  to  principle,  and  activity  and  firmness  in 
"  pursuit  of  the  objects  they  had  proposed."  These  move- 
ments they  maintained,  had  "  proceeded  so  immediately 
"  from  the  bosom  of  the  people,  that  the  ordinary  restraints 
"  of  parties  and  their  discipline,  together  w^ith  the  efforts  of 
"  those  politicians  who  have  heretofore  inflamed  pubUc 
"  opinion,  had  been  laid  aside  and  regarded  with  utter  in- 
"  difference.  Satisfied  beyond  all  question,  that  the  evils 
"  inflicted  on  the  state  dnd  country,  by  secret,  self-created 
"  societies,  were  a  thousand  fold  greater  than  any  that  for 
"  many  years  past  had  been  conjured  up  by  the  devices  of 
"  cunning  politicians,  the  people,"  it  was  said,  "  have 
"  sought  with  wonderful  unity  of  design,  of  principle  and 
"  of  eflfort,  to  destroy,  by  the  peaceful  exercise  of  their 
"  rights  at  the  polls,  the^  existence  of  the  masonic,  as  well 
^*  as  all  other  secret  associations." 

The  report  of  the  committee  of  the  House  of  Assembly, 
was  presented  two  days  afterwards — the  16th.  This  was 
a  more  ample  statement  than  that  of  the  other  committee, 
extending,  with  the  documents  annexed,  to  nearly  seventy 
large  pages.  In  presenting  the  history  of  the  case,  the 
same  ground  was  necessarily  travelled  over  again,  without 
the  discovery  of  any  new  facts.  The  report  of  Mr.  Mose- 
ley,  which  had  been  submitted  to  the  committee  with  the 
message,  had  been  received  with  disappointment  by  the 
public,  because  it  was  thought  the  commissioner  had  not 
entered  so  thoroughly  into  the  matter  as  he  might  have 
done,  and  had  not  made  as  many  disclosures,  or  indulg- 
ed in  so  many  dark  speculations,  as  the  public  expectation 
demanded,  and  the  public  taste  required.  Entertaining, 
perhaps,  a  common  feeling  with  the  people  on  the  subject, 
the  committee  addressed  letters  to  the  special  commission- 
er, and  also  to  Mr.  Wiiiting,  the  efficient  district  attorney 

46 


362  LETTER  XXXIII. 

of  Ontario,  who,  as  we  have  seen,  had  had  far  the  greatest 
experience  in  these  pecuUar  investigations,  to  know  if  either 
of  these  gentlemen  had  any  farther  information  in  their 
possession,  which  could  properly  be  imparted  to  the  legis- 
lature. Mr.  W.  wrote  a  very  sensible  communication  in 
reply,  giving  his  views  of  the  case,  and  such  an  historical 
synopsis  of  the  proceedings  and  developements  made,  as 
were  deemed  suitable  for  the  information  and  consideration 
of  the  committee.  "  Down  to  this  time,"  said  Mr.  W., 
"  I  am  not  aware  that  any  proof  has  been  given  on  the  tra- 
"  verse  of  an  indictment,  identifying  Morgan  at  Niagara. 
"  It  can  now  be  established  that  he  was  in  the  carriage 
"which  passed  on  the  Ridge  Road,  on  the  13th  of  Sep- 
"  tember.  Such  is  my  information  from  a  source  in  which 
"  I  have  every  confidence.  This  proof  has  not  been  in 
"  our  power  until  very  lately.  No  person  who  was  en- 
"  gaged  in  the  conspiracy  at  the  frontier,  except  Bruce,  has 
"  been  convicted.  Judgment  has  not  yet  been  given 
"  against  him,  by  reason  of  a  question  of  law  pending  be- 
"  fore  the  Supreme  Court,  and  which  is  not  yet  decided." 
In  regard  to  the  outrage,  Mr.  Whiting,  himself  a  mason, 
expressed  the  following  opinion.  "  The  abduction  of  Mor- 
"  gan  is  a  singular  and  striking  event  in  our  history ;  and 
"  as  in  case  of  other  irretrievable  evils,  it  is  easier  to  la- 
"  ment  it  than  to  find  a  remedy.  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
"  saying,  that  it  has  resulted  from  the  confidence  which 
"  members  of  the  masonic  society  have  felt  in  its  power 
"  and  influence  ;  from  a  false  estimate  of  the  nature  of  that 
"  institution,  and  from  an  opinion  that  they  were  bound  to 
"  preserve  it  from  violation  and  injury."  In  conclusion  he 
adds,—"  It  5s  worthy  of  remark,  that  it  has  been  proved 
"  or  conceded,  that  all  those  who  have  engaged  in  these 
"  outrages,  were  m(^mbcrs  of  the  masonic  fraternity, — a 
"fact  not  without  ni(\'iiiinfr  in  rcforpnce  to  the  objects  of 
"  the  conspiracy." 


LETTER  xxxin.  363 

Mr.  Moseley's  reply  to  the  committee,  was  short,  and  to 
the  purpose.  He  informed  them,  in  substance,  that  he  had 
not  submitted  to  the  Executive  a  full  report,  because,  in  his 
opinion,  a  just  sense  of  propriety  would  not  warrant  the 
publication  of  facts  yet  to  become  the  subject  of  judicial  in- 
vestigation. There  were  already  sufficient  difficulties  in 
the  way  of  empannelling  juries,  and  he  wished  not  to  in- 
crease these  embarrassments.  He  informed  the  committee, 
however,  that  since  writing  his  report,  he  had  elicited  addi- 
tional and  material  testimony  in  relation  to  the  identity  of 
Morgan,  and  some  precise  circumstances  that  occurred  in 
carrying  him  off.  He  had  also,  he  said,  been  put  in  pos- 
session of  information  of  a  graver  character,  from  a  source 
entitled  to  credit.  The  committee  went  largely  into  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  nature  and  tendency  of  the  masonic  obliga- 
tions, as  they  had  been  disclosed  in  part  by  Morgan,  and  the 
residue  by  the  Le  Roy  Convention.  These  obligations  re- 
ceived their  most  pointed  condemnation.  In  conclusion, 
they  reported  in  favor  of  continuing  the  office  of  special 
commissioner  for  prosecuting  the  investigations,  and,  in  or- 
der to  guard  against  the  repetition  of  similar  offences,  they 
likewise  reported  a  bill  prohibiting  the  administering  of 
extra-judicial  oaths.  The  first  of  these  recommendations 
was  adopted  by  the  legislature.     The  second  was  not. 

Notwithstanding  the  abatement  of  the  popular  clamor 
marking  the  earlier  history  of  the  excitement,  yet  the  Anti- 
masonic  feeling  was  sinking  more  deeply  into  the  minds  of 
the  people,  and  its  influence  continued  gradually  to  extend. 
Nor  were  the  leaders  sparing  of  time  or  money  to  sustain 
the  cause  in  which  they  had  embarked.  The  result  of  the 
preceding  elections  at  the  west,  had  taught  them  that  they 
had  obtained  a  foot-hold,  as  a  political  party,  and  they  were 
resolved  to  lay  its  foundations  broad  and  deep.  For  this 
purpose,  another  state  convention  had  been  summoned  to 
meet  at  Albany,  on  the  19th  of  February,  "to  deliberate 


364  LETTER  xxxiir. 

"  upon,  and  adopt  such  measures  as  might  be  deemed  best 
"  calculated  to  vindicate  the  laws  of  the  land  from  masonic 
"  violence,  and  to  redeem  the  principles  of  civil  and  political 
"  liberty  from  masonic  encroachments."     The  county  meet- 
ings for  selecting  delegates  to  compose  this  convention,  it 
was  wisely  considered,  would  again  serve  to  prevent  the 
public  attention  from  slumbering  upon  the  subject ;  and  each 
meeting  afforded  a  fresh  opportunity  of  embodying  addi- 
tional appeals  to  popular  passion  and  prejudice,  in  the  form 
of  addresses,  reports,  and  resolutions.     Nor  was  the  occa- 
sion left  unimproved.     At  the  Genesee  Convention  held  for 
this  purpose,  one  subject  was  discussed  of  a  very  questiona- 
ble  character.     A  committee   was   appointed  to  inquire 
whether  there  was  in  existence,  in  those  western  counties, 
any  monied  institution,  monopoly,  or  other  aristocratic  es- 
tablishment, which  had  been,  or  might  be,  perverted  by 
masonic  influence  to  political  purposes,  or  to  exert  an  undue 
influence  upon  the  public  mind.     This  committee  reported 
that  the  Holland  Land  Company,  whose  territory  had  extend- 
ed over  nearly  seven  counties,  and  to  which  the  people,  pur- 
chasing their  lands,  were  yet  indebted  to  the  amount  of  six 
or  seven  millions  of  dollars,  was  such  an  aristocratical  in- 
stitution.   A  resolution  was  thereupon  introduced  and  adopt- 
ed, of  an  inquisitorial  character,  directing  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  of  six  persons  to  institute  an  inquiry,  wheth- 
er the  agent  of  the  company  was  a  Mason, — whether  the 
sub-agents  and  clerks   of  the  land  ofllce,  were  Masons, — 
whether  the  patronage  of  the  company  was  bestowed  upon 
masonic  newspapers ;  and  whether  the  power  and  influence 
of  the  company  was  wielded  in  support  of  the  fraternity 
generally,  and  in  hostility  to  the  Anti-masons.     This  com- 
mittee was  hkewise  instructed  to  co-operate  with  the  people 
of  the  other  counties  on  the  extensive  tract  of  the  compa- 
ny's lands,  and,  if  necessary,  to  convoke  a  convention  of  de- 
legates from  those  counties,  to  take  further  measures  in  the 


LETTER  XXXIII.  365 

premises,  should  such  measures  be  judged  expedient.  I  am 
not  aware  that  any  serious  consequences  followed  the  adop- 
tion of  these  resolutions  ;  but  when  we  consider  the  delicacy 
of  the  relations  between  landlord  and  tenant, — between 
debtor  and  creditor, — and  the  extreme  excitability  of  a 
large  population  upon  such  a  subject,  it  cannot  be  consid- 
ered otherwise  than  remarkable,  that  an  inquiry  of  such  a 
nature  should  have  been  set  on  foot  by  men  of  unquestiona- 
ble character,  worth,  and  intelligence. 

This  second  state  convention  of  Anti-masons  convened  at 
-Albany,  on  the  19th  of  February,  and  held  a  session  of 
three  days.  It  was  most  respectably  attended — forty  coun- 
ties being  represented,  by  upwards  of  one  hundred  mem- 
bers. The  session  was  a  very  laborious  one, — the  printed 
record  of  its  proceedings  extending  to  forty  large  and  close- 
ly printed  pages.  The  reports,  resolutions  and  addresses 
of  this  assembly  were  exceedingly  well  devised  to  preserve 
and  extend  the  excitement  against  Freemasonry.  Indeed, 
the  highly  respectable  gentlemen  who  composed  it,  must 
have  partaken  largely  of  the  excitement  themselves  ;  for 
more  extensive  drafts  upon  the  imagination  for  facts,  were 
probably  never  made  ;  and  yet,  the  character  of  the  body 
which  sent  them  forth  to  the  public,  and  of  the  individuals 
who  affixed  their  names  to  them,  forbids  the  supposition 
that  they  did  not  religiously  believe  all  they  stated.  I  might 
adduce  many  particulars  illustrating  the  truth  of  what  I 
have  just  said,  as  to  the  character  of  these  proceedings. 
But  a  single  instance  shall  suffice.  Among  the  committees 
for  facilitating  the  labors  of  the  convention,  was  one  whose 
duty  it  was  to  examine  the  statute  books  of  the  state,  and 
ascertain  whether  they  contained  any,  and,  if  any,  what,  le- 
gislative enactments,  in  favor  of  the  Freemasons.  This 
committee  reported,  with  great  solemnity,  "that  in  examin- 
"  ing  the  statute  book,  they  had  ascertained  that  there  exist- 
"  ed  two  public  acts  of  the  legislature,  on  the  subject, — the 


366  LETTER  xxxrri. 

"  first,  entitled  '  An  act  to  incorporate  the  Grand  Chapter  of 
"Uhe  state  of  New- York,  passed  31st  March,  1818  ;'  and 
"  the  other,  entitled  *  An  act  to  enable  masonic  lodges  to 
"  *  take  and  hold  real  estatej  for  certain  purposes  therein 
"'mentioned,  passed  April  16,  1825.' — both  of  which  were 
«*  extraordinary  in  their  nature,  and  could  have  beenprocur- 
"  ed  by  no  less  powerful  an  influence  than  that  which  the  in- 
"  stitution  it  incorporates  has  long  possessed,  and,  it  is  be- 
"  lieved,  exercises,  as  well  in  our  legislative  halls,  as  in  our 
"  courts  of  justice^  Then  followed  a  long  and  grave  argu- 
ment, to  show  the  dangers  arising  from  the  statutes  refei'- 
red  to,  and  the  enactment  of  which  couldnot  have  been  pro- 
cured but  by  the  «  power"  and  "  influence"  of  all-powerful 
Masonry.  Now  it  so  happens  that  the  writer  hereof  was  a 
humble  instrument  in  obtaining  both  of  those  acts,  so  "  ex- 
"  traordinary  in  their  nature."  As  to  the  first,  the  fact  was 
simply  this  :  a  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  had 
been  a  defaulter,  having  appropriated  all  the  funds  in  his 
hands,  amounting  to  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars,  and 
upwards,  to  his  own  use.  On  being  called  to  an  account 
for  the  default,  he  offered  in  payment  of  the  debt,  a  tract  of 
land,  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany.  But  the  Grand  Chai)ter 
could  not  purchase  and  hold  real  estate,  without  an  act  of 
incorporation.  It  was  for  the  purpose  of  securing  that  debt, 
and  that  alone,  that  a  committee  was  appointed,  of  which 
I  had  the  honor  to  be  chairman,  to  apply  for  a  charter.  I 
wrote  and  presented  the  memorial  and  bill,  and  it  was  pass- 
ed with  but  little  opposition,  and  without  the  least  particle 
of  masonic  influence,  other  than  a  simple  statement  of  facts. 
The  act  of  1825  was  passed  merely  to  enable  a  few  gentle- 
men in  this  city  to  form  a  joint  stock  company,  for  the  erection 
of  the  noble  Gothic  edifice  which  now  adorns  a  section  ol 
Broadway.  I  had  no  personal  interest  whatever  in  the  ap- 
plication. But  happening  to  be  in  the  Senate  chamber, 
writing  a  report  of  legislative  proceedings,  one  evening 


LETTER  XXXIII.  367 

daring  the  session  of  1825, 1  heard  a  member  of  one  of  the 
select  committees,  which  were  sitting  in  consultation  upon 
divers  applications,  remark,  on  reading  the  title  of  this  bilJ, 
— "  Come,  let  us  kill  this,  and  have  done  with  it ;"  to  which 
proposition  his  associates  assented.      Having  some  know- 
ledge of  the  merits  of  the  question,  and  there  being  no  friend 
of  the  application  present,  I  immediately  rose  and  stated 
the  simple  object  of  the  bill ;  whereupon  the  committee, 
neither  of  whom  were  Masons,  very  readily  and  cheerfully 
agreed  to  report  in  favor  of  it,  and  the  bill  was  passed. 
Such,  sir,  and  such  only,  were  the  objects  in  view,  and  the 
means  used,  to  obtain  the  passage  of  those  bills.     And  yet 
how  wonderful  the  "  power"  by  which  they  were  obtained, 
and  how  "  extraordinary  their  nature," — in  the  eyes  of 
this  very  respectable  convention  !     It  would  be  a  source  of 
amusement,  were  the  results  pertinent  to  the  present  inves- 
tigation, to  examine  the  proceedings  of  many  of  these  Anti- 
masonic  conventions,  and  by  divesting  their  statements  of 
the  colorings  imparted  to  them  by  the  distempered  imagi- 
nations of  their  leading  members,  exhibit  them  to  the  pub- 
lic in  the  simplicity  of  truth  and  innocence.     The  result 
would  prove  many  circumstances  and  transactions  which 
have  been  the  subjects  of  clamor,  to  be  as  unexceptionable 
as  christian  man  can  desire. 

The  great  object  of  this  convention  was  to  devise  ways 
and  means  for  the  more  effectual  and  extensive  political  or- 
ganization of  the  Anti  masonic  party.  With  this  view,  an- 
other state  convention  was  resolved  upon,  and  it  was  like- 
wise determined  to  convene  a  national  convention  of  Anti- 
masons,  to  meet  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  summer  of  1830.  It 
was  further  resolved,  that  the  character  of  Morgan  deserv- 
ed an  eulogium,  and  his  services  a  "  storied  urn."  A  series 
of  resolutions  were  thereupon  adopted  to  raise  money  to 
build  a  monument,  and  likewise  to  make  a  suitable  provi- 
sion for  the  support  of  Mrs.  Morgan,  and  the  education  oi 


868  LETT^lR  XXXIIl. 

her  children.     Although  neither  of  these  last-mentioned  re^ 
solutions  have  been  carried  into  effect^  yet  they  probably 

HAD  THEIR  EFFECT. 

On  the  3d  of  March — Mr.  Moseley  having  been  appoint- 
ed to  the  office  of  Circuit  Judge^  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Throop, 
elected  to  the  second  officd  of  the  state, — Gov.  Van  Buren 
sent  a  special  message  to  the  Legislature,  announcing  the 
resignation,  by  Mr.  M.,  of  the  office  of  Special  Counsel,  and 
the  appointment  of  Mr.  John  C.  Spencer  in  his  place.  A 
more  acceptable  appointment  could  hardly  have  been  made. 
In  addition  to  his  high  professional  ability,  his  untiring  in- 
dustry, perseverance,  and  zeal,  in  any  cause  he  undertakes, 
and  his  unbending  integrity,  afforded  an  ample  guaranty 
for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  duties  devolving  upon 
him  by  this  new  and  important  trust.  These  anticipations 
were  very  speedily  realized.  Mr.  Spencer  entered  forth- 
with upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  in  the  course  of  the 
same  month  was  engaged  a  number  of  days  in  pushing  ex- 
parte  investigations  preparatory  to  further  proceedings,  be- 
fore the  grand  jury  of  the  county  of  Monroe,  at  Rochester. 
But  his  labors  were  impeded  at  every  step  by  the  obstacles 
thrown  in  his  way  by  the  members  of  the  fraternity,  and 
their  able  array  of  counsel,  always  at  hand.  Among  a 
great  number  of  witnesses  examined  on  this  occasion,  was 
a  Mason  named  Isaac  Allen,  who  refused  to  answer  the 
Grand  Jury  whether  a  carriage  stopped  before  his  door  on 
the  13th  of  September,  1826,  and  whether  a  person  applied 
to  him  on  that  day  for  a  pair  of  horses.  He  objected,  on 
the  ground  that  the  answer  might  criminate  himself.  The 
Grand  Jury  thereupon  went  into  court,  and  the  question 
whether  the  witness  should  be  peremptorily  required  to 
answer,  was  argued  by  able  counsel  on  both  sides.  The 
court  decided  affirmatively.  But  the  witness  persisted  in 
his  refusal,  and  was  committed  to  prison  for  a  contempt. 
At  this  term,  two  bills  were  found  for  participation  in  the 


LETTER  XXXIII.  369 

conspiracy,  viz :  against  Simeon  B.  Jewett,  an  attorney  at 
law,  and  Burrage  Smith.  These  persons  had  both  been 
previously  indicted,  but  in  a  different  county. 

Gov.  Van  Buren  having  accepted  the  station  of  Secreta- 
ry of  State,  in  the  cabinet  of  Gen.  Jackson,  resigned  the  of- 
fice of  chief  magistrate  of  New- York,  in  a  few  days  after 
sending  the  special  message  above  mentioned,  and  the  dis- 
charge of  the  executive  functions  devolved  upon  Lieuten- 
ant Governor  Throop.  This  gentleman,  it  may  be  recol- 
lected, had  originally  acquired  considerable  popularity  with 
the  Anti-masons,  by  pronouncing  it  "  a  blessed  spirit"  by 
which  they  were  actuated.  On  leaving  the  chair  of  the  Sen- 
ate, however,  for  the  audience  chamber  of  the  state  exe- 
cutive, the  now  acting  Governor  addressed  the  senators  at 
considerable  length,  and  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  he 
took  occasion  to  speak  somewhat  at  large  upon  the  subject 
of  Anti-masonry.  In  regard  to  the  excitement,  as  he  had 
first  known  it,  the  acting  Governor  declared  his  opinions  to 
be  unchanged.  He  had  himself  partaken  of  that  excite- 
ment, and  was  yet  in  feeling  with  it,  while  confined  to  its 
original  and  legitimate  object.  But  he  could  not  join  them 
in  their  proscription  of  the  whole  masonic  fraternity.  He 
was  no  Mason,  and  was  opposed  to  all  secret  societies ; 
but  he  did  not  believe,  "  that  a  society  which  has  enrolled 
"  amongst  its  members  persons  of  all  ranks  and  conditions, 
"  and  many  distinguished  for  piety,  for,  the  purity  of  their 
"  lives,  and  devotion  to  their  country,  could  be  founded  on 
"  principles  tending  to  subvert  all  government,  or  exact 
"  obligations  from  its  members  incompatible  with  their  duty 
"  to  their  fellow-citizens,  their  country,  and  their  God."  In 
conclusion,  he  declared  his  determination  that  political  An- 
ti-masonry "  should  meet  in  him  a  mild  and  temperate, 

"  BUT  A  STEADY  AND  INFLEXIBLE,  OPPONENT."        From   that 

day  to  the  present,  there  has  been  "  a  great  gulf  between" 
the  x\nti-masonic  party  and  the  Executive.     The  hostility 

47 


370  LETTER  XXXIII. 

has  been  mutual  and  ceaseless.     Which  party  will  in  the 
end  be  found  most  powerful,  remains  to  be  seen. 

This  letter  is  already  sufficiently  long ;  but  there  is  one 
other  incident  in  the  regular  progress  of  the  history,  which 
requires  noticing  in  this  place.      The  crusade  against  the 
whole  masonic  fraternity,  whether  innocent  or  guilty,  had 
been  waged  with  such  bitterness  and  effect,  and  so  heavy 
was  the  load  of  popular  odium  beneath  which  its  members, 
without  distinction,  were  laboring,  that  the  most  respecta- 
ble and  intelligent  portion  of  the  craft  at  the  west  began 
now  to  see  the  propriety  of  yielding  to  the  fury  of  the 
tempest,  by  relinquishing  the  institution,  and  resigning  the 
charters  of  their  lodges  and  chapters.     Accordingly,  dur- 
ing the  present  month  of  March,  a  convention  of  delegates 
from  the  several  masonic  bodies  of  Monroe  county,  was 
held  at  Rochester.     Forty  delegates  were  present,  repre- 
senting lodges,  chapters,  and  an  encampment  of  Templars. 
After  full  consideration,  it  was  determined  to  make  a  sur- 
render of  the  charters  of  each  of  the  bodies  represented, 
with  a  view  of  an  ultimate  relinquishment  of  the  institution 
of  Masonry  altogether.      Having  come  to  this  resolution^ 
they  published  an  address  to  the  public,  containing  a  decla- 
ration of  the  reasons  which  had  induced  the  procedure. 
They  wished  the  public  fully  to  understand,  that,  in  coming 
to  such  a  decision,  they  at  the  same  time  repelled  the  idea  of 
a  tame  submission  to  the  denunciations  so  prodigally  lavish- 
ed upon  them  by  their  opponents.     They  denied  the  justice 
of  such  denunciations,  and  invited  a  free  but  impartial  in- 
quiry into  the  reasons  by  which  they  were  actuated  in 
coming  to  this  determination.      These   reasons  w^ere  set 
forth  at  large  in  the  address — the   duty  of  good  citizens 
to  submit  to  the  voice  of  public  opinion,  being  regarded  as 
the  most  efficient  of  the  number.      They  conceded  that  an 
utter  disregard  of  public  opinion,  when  once  clearly  settled 
and  ascertained,  was  unwise  on  the  part  of  the  citizen,  un- 


LETTER  XXXIII.  371 

der  any  form  of  gorernmont, — that,  especially  under  such 
a  government  as  we  have  the  happiness  to  enjoy,  a  reckless 
opposition  to  the  confirmed  public  sentiment  cannot  be  de- 
fended,— and,  that  it  is  not  only  unwise  to  treat  it  with  in- 
difference, but,  where  no  violation  of  principle  is  involved, 
to  set  it  at  defiance  is  to  be  culpably  obstinate.  Public 
opinion,  they  said,  beyond  all  doubt,  unequivocally  called 
for  the  relinquishment  of  their  masonic  rights;  and  under 
such  circumstances,  they  held  that  personal  gratification 
must  be  made  to  yield  to  the  higher  claims  arising  out  of 
their  relations  to  society.  In  regard  to  the  abduction  and 
probable  murder  of  Morgan,  they  declared,  most  solemnly, 
*'  that  the  transaction  had  been  uniformly  condemned  by 
"  them  as  an  oflfence  obnoxious  to  the  principles  of  Ma- 
"  sonry,  to  the  laws  of  the  country,  and  to  the  laws  of 
"  God."  As  it  respected  the  character  and  principles  of 
Masonry  itself,  as  they  had  received  and  understood  it, 
they  denied  "  that  there  was  any  thing  contained  in  it  im- 
"  moral  in  its  tendency,  or  in  any  wise  dangerous  to  either 
"  civil  or  religious  liberty,  or  opposed  to  the  christian  reli- 
"  gion."  The  address  admitted  that  they  had  not  arrived 
at  this  determination  to  sever  all  their  masonic  ties,  with- 
out a  considerable  effort ;  and  although  there  were  many 
others,  who,  from  pride  of  opinion,  or  from  a  repugnance 
to  the  adoption  of  such  a  course,  as  it  were  upon  compul- 
sion, would  look  with  displeasure  upon  the  determination 
to  which  they  had  arrived,  yet  they  exhorted  all  such  "  to 
"  remember  that  there  lay  before  them  a  wide  field  for  il- 
"  lustrating,  practically,  that  wholesome  rule,  cherished  by 
"  all  good  men,  which  enjoined  it  upon  them  *  to  restore  har- 
"  *  mony  to  society,  when  interrupted,  if  possible.' " 

An  impartial  observer,  knowing  little  of  the  previous 
history  of  the  controversy,  or  of  the  feelings  which  had 
been  engendered  on  both  sides,  would  have  supposed  that 
in  coming  to  this  decision,  the  Masons  had  conceded  all 


372  LETTER  XXXIII. 

that  their  opponents  could  have  had  the  conscience  to  de- 
sire.    Certainly,  if  the  professed,  were  the  only,  objects  of 
the  Anti-masonic  party, — if  they  were  really  and  truly 
warring  against  Freemasonry  alone,  for  the  single  purpose 
of  procuring  its  annihilation, — they  could  require  nothing 
further  from  the  Masons  of  the  county  of  Monroe.  .  And 
had  they  manifested  a  disposition  to  rest  satisfied  with  this 
general  renunciation  on  the  part  of  those  Masons  who  had 
thus  publicly  surrendered  their  charters,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  example  would  have  had  a  powerful  effect 
upon  the  fraternity,  far  and  wide  in  the  land.     But   the 
fact  was  otherwise.     In  the  course  of  the  address,  its  au- 
thors had  said,  that  "  they  did  not  think  the  occasion  called 
"  for  on  elaborate  review,  nor,  indeed,  for  a  serious  refu- 
"  tation  of  all  the  absurd  imputations  and  extraordinary 
"  charges  which  had  been  so  industriously  arrayed  against 
"  the  fraternity  ;  neither  was  it  proposed  to  indulge  in  an- 
"  gry  rebukes,  and  bitter  sarcasms   against  the   doubtful 
"  motives  and  unkind  passions,  which  obviously  had,  and 
"  still  did,   direct  the  movements  of  the  master  spirits  of 
"  the    exclusive    party    styling   themselves    Anti-masons. 
"  Such  a  course,  although  justifiable  by  the  law  of  retalia- 
"  tion,  would  not  mitigate  past  evils,  and  might,  perhaps, 
"  aggravate  anticipated  ones,  which  they  were  unaffectedly 
"  anxious  to  avert."     In  another  paragraph,  it  was  assert- 
ed by  the  signers  of  the  address,  "  that  they  felt  and  knew 
« that  they  were  the  proscribed  and  devoted  victims  of  an 
"  unholy  ostracism."     This  language  gave  mortal  offence, 
and  no  sooner  was  it  published,  than  it  was  siezed  upon 
by  the  Anti-masonic  papers,  and  denounced  virith  as  much 
virulence  and  acrimony,  as  though,  instead  of  what  it  was 
intended  to  be,  a  message  of  conciliation  and  peace,  it  had 
been  a  justification  of  the  murder  of  Morgan,  and  an  order 
for  the  death  of  a  hecatomb  of  additional  victims. 


LETTER  XXXTTT.  373 

There  was  one  unfortunate  circumstance  connected  with 
this  address,  affording  the  Anti-masons  a  pretext  for  the 
course,  which,  with  one  accord,  they  pursued  in  relation  to 
it.  The  misfortune  through  the  whole  of  this  controversy 
has  been,  that  the  guilty  and  the  innocent  have  been  con- 
founded together,  and  the  latter  have  always  been  nia.de  to 
suffer  for  the  misdeeds  of  the  former.  It  was  so  in  the 
present  instance ;  for,  although  among  the  forty  signers  to 
this  address  we  find  the  names  of  several  of  the  ablest 
professional  gentlemen  of  the  west, — men  of  great  purity 
of  character  and  of  high  moral  and  religious  worth,— men 
who  would  no  sooner  screen  others  from  the  punishment 
due  to  crime,  than  they  would  be  guilty  of  crime  them- 
selves— yet,  in  the  very  same  list  of  persons,  thus  protest- 
ing with  the  utmost  solemnity  against  the  outrage  commit- 
ted upon  Morgan,  were  several  of  those  known  to  have 
been  implicated,  at  least  in  a  knowledge  of  the  conspiracy, 
before  it  was  consummated,  if  nothing  more.  One  of 
these  persons  had  been  sent  express  to  New-York,  with 
the  purloined  manuscripts ;  another,  was  the  man  into 
whose  hands  the  money  voted  for  "  the  western  sufferers,'^ 
as  they  were  called  by  the  Grand  Chapter,  had  been  placed 
for  distribution.  Beyond  a  doubt,  three  fourths  of  the 
forty  were  entirely  innocent ;  and  they,  at  that  time,  sup- 
posed their  associates  to  be  innocent  likewise.  But  not  so 
thought  the  Anti-masons,  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  in- 
vestigations previously  made,  and  yet  pending.  They  knew 
better ;  and  of  course  the  surrender  of  their  charters  was 
denounced  as  being  merely  a  make-believe  transaction,  and 
the  address  pronounced  false  and  hollow.*  In  regard  to 
the  Rochester  Chapter  and  Encampment,  both  of  which 
had  united  in  disclaiming  all  knowledge  of,  or  participation 
in,  the  conspiracy,  and  both  of  which  had  denounced  the 

*  In  1830,  Jacob  Gould,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  renunciation  in  1829, 
attested  his  sincerity  by  taking  his  scat  in  the  Grand  Chapter,  as  a  member. 


374  LETTER  XXXIII. 

act  as  oft'ensive  alike  to  the  laws  of  God  and  man,  it  was 
now  specifically  and  boldly  declared,  publicly,  and  in  so 
many  words,  "  that  that  chapter  and  encampment  employ- 
*'  ed  and  paid  a  masonic  spy,  who,  as  the  pretended  part- 
"  ner  of  Miller  and  Morgan,  was  nearly  two  months  ma- 
"  luring  the  conspiracy.*  He  reported  his  progress,  regu- 
"  larly,  to  the  encampment ;  and  when  the  plot  was  ripe, 
"  they  sent  some  of  their  members  to  Batavia,  and  others 
"  to  Canandaigua,  to  aid  in  its  consummation.  Members 
"  of  that  chapter  aided  to  force  their  victim  into  the  hack 
"  at  Canandaigua,  and  formed  a  part  of  his  guard  through 
"  the  whole  route.  When  the  hearts  of  some  of  the  per- 
"  sons  who  had  met  to  inflict  masonic  vengeance  upon 
"  Morgan,  shrunk  from  the  task,  this  chapter  and  encamp- 
"  ment  were  referred  to  for  further  instructions.  They  de- 
"  spatched  one  of  their  members  to  Fort  Niagara.  *  * 
«  *  *  #  #  Some  of  their  members  were  compelled  to 
"  fly,  but  they  have  been  cherished  and  supported  by  those 
"  who  remained  behind.  The  outrage  was  distinctly  re- 
"  cognized,  by  the  chapter  and  encampment,  by  the  fact  of 
"  their  retaining  in  their  bosoms  and  fellowship,  the  men 
"  who  committed  it.  Members  of  the  chapter  and  en- 
"  campment,  when  called  upon  to  testify  in  relation  to  the 
**  outrage,  have  taken  false  oaths."  And  these,  it  was  add- 
led, are  the  "  absurd  accusations^^  which  the  masons,  in 
,their  address,  had  declared  unworthy  of  a  "  serious  refu- 
."  tationJ^  Subsequent  disclosures,  moreover,  have  shown, 
that  there  was  too  much  truth  in  these  charges.  But 
whether  true  or  not,  at  the  time,  was  immaterial,  since 
there  was  no  resisting  such  appeals  to  the  popular  passions  ; 
and  the  measure  which  had  been  resolved  upon  by  the  Ma- 
sons, right  and  proper  in  itself,  and  unexceptionable  in  its 
iHanner,  as  those  who  were  not  Anti-masons  would  gener- 

*  Johns. 


LETTER  XXXIV.  375 

ally  have  supposed,  entirely  failed  in  its  design.  The  war- 
fare was  prosecuted  as  vigorously  as  ever,  alike  against  the 
just  and  the  unjust — for  there  was  no  discrimination  among 
the  people,  and  every  mason  was  believed  to  stand  in  all  re- 
spects upon  the  same  footing. 

Having  thus  failed  in  the  object  so  sincerely  and  honest- 
ly sought  to  be  obtained  by  the  majority  of  those  who  pub- 
lished the  address,  it  is  a  source  of  much  regret  that  the 
effort  was  made  in  that  quarter,  and  in  the  mode  in  which 
it  was  attempted.  The  scornful  manner  in  which  that  de- 
claration was  received,  has  ever  since  been  pointed  at  by 
the  acting  masons  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  when  they 
have  been  urged  to  terminate  the  contest  by  a  removal  of 
the  cause,  as  an  evidence  that  the  cancelling  of  charters,, 
and  the  relinquishment  of  the  order,  will  do  no  good.  It 
is  not  that,  alone,  as  many  of  our  friends  believe,  which 
the  opponents  of  speculative  masonry  desire :  and  since 
what  they  consider  a  cruel  persecution, — an  unconstitution- 
al proscription, — does  not  cease  with  the  giving  up  of  a 
lodge,  they  insist  that  they  may  as  well  hold  on  upon  their 
empty  titles  and  gilded  trappings  to  the  end. 

I  remain,  sir,  very  truly  yours. 


LETTER    XXXIV. 

New- York,  March  12,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  exceptions  taken  to  the  indictment  on  which  Eli 
Bruce  was  tried  and  convicted  at  the  Ontario  Sessions,  in 
August,  1828,  having  been  argued  before  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  decided  against  the  defendant,  the  cause  was 
again  brought  before  the  Court  of  vScssions  at  its  May  term, 
in  1829.     Hiram  B.  Hopkins  was  called  and  examined  by 


376  LETTER  XXXIV. 

the  court,  in  aggravation  of  punishment.  He  was  deputy 
sherifl' of  Niagara  county  under  Bruce,  and  resided  with  him 
in  the  same  house — the  jail  being  under  the  same  roof. 
He  testified,  that,  some  six  or  eight  days  before  the  abduc- 
tion, Bruce  directed  him  to  prepare  a  cell  for  the  reception 
of  Morgan,  whom  he  said  he  expected  there  that  night. 
Accordingly  the  most  secret  cell  was  put  in  order  for  that 
purpose.  Witness  had  previously  heard  that  Morgan  was 
to  be  taken  away  from  Batavia,  for  revealing  the  secrets  of 
Masonry,  and  to  be  carried  to  Niagara.  He  also  under- 
stood that  Bruce  was  concerned  in  the  project.  Morgan 
was  to  come  by  the  way  of  Lockport,  and  be  lodged  in  the 
cell  thus  prepared.  He  had  been  told  that  Morgan  was  to 
be  taken  to,  or  by,  Niagara,  and  put  on  board  a  ship  of  war, 
for  his  masonic  offence.  Witness  had  made  inquiries  what 
he  should  say,  if  called  on  as  a  witness,  and  Bruce  instruct- 
ed him  that  he  might  truly  declare  he  knew  nothing  about 
it,  because  he  had  never  seen  Morgan,  in  any  part  of  the 
transactions.  Heretofore,  witness  said  he  had  considered 
himself  bound  by  his  masonic  obligations  not  to  make  any 
disclosures.  But  after  he  began  to  apprehend  that  Morgan 
had  been  put  to  death,  he  had  reasoned  and  reflected  much 
on  the  nature  and  character  of  those  obligations,  and  now 
considered  himself  fully  absolved  from  their  longer  observ- 
ance. He  had  attended  the  installation  of  the  chapter  at 
Lewiston,  on  the  14th  of  September,  1826,  and  learned 
while  there,  that  Morgan  was  confined  in  Fort  Niagara. 

At  the  same  term  of  the  court,  came  on  the  trial  of  John 
Whitney  and  James  Gillis — both  of  whom  had  been  long 
previously  indicted  for  being  concerned  in  the  same  con- 
spiracy. Whitney,  it  will  be  recollected,  had  fled  to  Lou- 
isiana, with  Burrage  Smith,  soon  after  the  public  attention 
began  to  be  seriously  directed  to  the  circumstances  of  this 
singular  outrage.  Smith  died  at  New-Orleans,  and,  as  in 
the  case  of  Col.  King,  Whitney  had  returned  voluntarily, 


LETTER  XXXIV.  377 

after  the  unsuccessful  embassy  of  Messrs.  Garlinghouse  and 
Bates,  in  pursuit  of  them.  GilHs's  name,  you  may  recollect, 
occurs  in  a  former  letter,  as  having  been  seen  among  the 
kidnappers,  at  Victor,  on  the  night  of  Morgan's  being  taken 
from  Prison.  He  fled  to  Pennsylvania  ;  but  had  been  sub- 
sequently arrested  in  Ontario,  and  held  to  baiL 

The  cases  having  been  called,  the  special  counsel  declaim- 
ed his  intention  to  have  the  defendants  tried  together.  Gil- 
lis  had  pleaded  to  the  indictment,  at  a  former  term  of  the 
court,  but  was  not  now  present.  Mr.  Griffin,  of  counsel  for 
Mr.  Whitney,  requested  that  he  might  be  tried  alone ;  but 
the  special  counsel  objected,  inasmuch  as  the  cases  of  the 
defendants  were  connected,  and  also  on  account  of  conve- 
nience to  the  witnesses,  many  of  whom  were  from  a  long 
distance,  and  should  be  allowed  to  return  home  with  all 
suitable  dispatch.  Mr.  Sibley,  of  counsel  for  GiHis,  object- 
ed to  his  being  tried  during  his  absence.  He  had  attended 
two  or  three  terms  of  the  court,  to  take  his  trial,  but  then 
the  prosecution  was  not  ready.  Living  in  another  state,  it 
was  fairly  to  be  presumed  that  the  notice  of  trial  had  not 
reached  him.  The  special  counsel  replied  that  Gillis  had 
never  been  prepared  for  trial  when  the  people  were  ready. 
At  the  last  term  of  the  court  he  was  ready,  but,  by  some  fa- 
tality, the  people's  important  witnesses  were  not  in  attend- 
ance, though  they  had  been  subpcenaed,  and  attachments 
issued.  The  witnesses  were  now  attending  at  great  trou- 
ble and  expense.  The  court  remarked  that  at  the  previous 
term,  the  cause  of  Gillis  was  announced  as  being  ready  for 
trial  the  day  before  it  was  to  have  come  on  ;  but  two  of  the 
ivitnesses  were  then  discovered  to  have  mysteriously  disap- 
peared, and  therefoi^e  the  people  were  not  ready.  It  was 
under  such  circumstances  that  the  trial  had  been  put  off, 
and  the  court  would  not  allow  another  postponement,  if  the 

special  counsel  chose  to  try  the  defendant  in  his  absence. 

48 


378  LETTER  XXXIV. 

The  cause  then  proceeded — a  jury  was  empannelled 
without  much  difficulty,  and  Mr.  Whiting,  the  Districf  At- 
torney, opened  in  behalf  of  the  people.     The  initiatory 
testimony,  relative  to  the  taking  of  Morgan  from  the  jail, 
and  forcing  him  into  the  carriage  at  Canandaigua,  was  the 
same,  as  in  the  histories  given  in  all  the  preceding  trials, 
and  mostly  from  the  same  witnesses.     In  regard  to  the  stop- 
ping of  Morgan's  mouth  with  a  handkerchief,  it  was  now 
indisputably  proved  to  have  been  the   act  of  Chescboro, 
whose  intentions,  according  to  his  own  deposition,  were  so 
very  innocent  in  that  matter.     The  night  journey  of  Loton 
Lawson  to  Rochester,  on  the  evening  of  Morgan's  being 
committed  to  jail,  (September  11, 1826,)  was  again  proved, 
as  formerly,  together  with  his  return  to  Canandaigua,  on 
the  morning  of  the   12th,  and  the  arrival   there   of  John 
Whitney  and  Burrage  Smith,  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day. 
The  testimony  of  Ackley,  at  whose  house  they  stopped  in 
Canandaigua,  was  on  this  occasion  more  full  and  minute, 
than  on  his  previous  examination.     It  was  now  proved  by 
two  or  more  witnesses,  that  at  the   time  the  carriage   in 
which  Morgan  was  taken  away,  was  moving  about  the 
street,  preparatory  to    setting  off,  there  was  a  horse  and 
sulkey  standing  before  the  door  of  Ackley's  tavern.     Smith 
was  seen  in  this  sulkey  a  few  minutes  before  the  carriage, 
(having  taken  up  Morgan,  and  a  part  of  his  kidnappers,  in 
the  street,)   repassed  the  tavern,  on  its  way  to  Rochester, 
The  horse  and  sulkey  were  driven  oft' at  the  same  time.     I 
am  thus  particular  in  noting  this  fact  respecting  the  sulkey, 
because  it  is  an  important  circumstance  in  identifying  tiic 
parties.     On  the  trial  of  Bruce,  it  may  be  recollected,  it  wa« 
disclosed  that  a  man,  supposed  to  be  Smith,  drove  up  to,  and 
passed,  the  carriage  where  it  had  stopped,  about  eighty  or 
one  hundred  rods  from  Hanford's  Landing,  and  he  appear- 
ed then  to  the  witness,  to  belong  to  the  pnrty  in  the  carriage. 


LETTER  XXXIV.  379 

This  sulkey  will  again  appear  in  subsequent  trials,  as  the 
perplexities  of  these  extraordinary  transactions  are  disen- 
tangled. Tea  was  prepared  both  for  Smith  and  Whitney, 
at  the  given  hour  ;  but  after  waiting  some  time,  Smith  not 
coming  in,  Whitney  took  tea  by  himself.  He  went  out  ear- 
ly in  the  evening,  and  did  not  return.  Just  before  the  sul- 
key was  driven  away,  Lawson  came  in  and  borrowed  a 
cloak  of  Ackley.  This  garment  is  mentioned  because  it 
will  be  elsewhere  referred  to. 

Hiram  Hubbard,  so  often  mentioned  as  the  owner  and 
driver  of  the  carriage  from  Canandaigua  to  Hanford's,  was 
again  called  as  a  witness.  On  his  direct  examination  he 
testified  in  effect,  as  on  former  occasions,  mentioning  two  or 
three  additional  facts.  There  were  five  persons  with  him 
in  his  carriage,  of  whom  he  knew  neither.  He  was  not  ac- 
companied by  a  man  in  a  sulkey  ;  but  a  man  passed  him 
in  a  sulkey,  when  two  or  three  miles  from  Canandaigua. 
He  stopped  at  the  reservoir  in  front  of  Beaches  tavern,  in 
Victor,  hut  only  for  a  moment  or  two  ;  and  this  was  the  only 
stop  he  made  in  Victor.  At  Hanford's  house  a  man  got  out 
of  the  carriage,  and  procured  a  bottle  of  liquor.*  They 
then  drove  on,  and  stopped  in  a  field  near  some  woods,  one 
or  two  hundred  rods  from  Hanford's.  His  cross  examina- 
,tion  did  not  materially  vary  his  testimony.  He  saw  no 
force,  in  putting  a  man  into  his  carriage  ;  heard  no  com- 
plaints on  the  way ;  was  told  to  take  his  own  time  in  driv- 
ing ;  there  were  no  changes  in  the  number  or  persons  of 
his  passengers  on  the  way  ;  and  when  they  got  out  he  did 
not  observe  that  any  person  was  bound.  He  was  engaged 
to  go  for  this  party  by  Mr.  Chauncey  H.  Coe,one  of  the  stage 
proprietors  at  Canandaigua,  for  whom  he  frequently  did 
jobs  of  the  kind.     He  was  paid,  however,  by  Cheseboro, 

*  Corroborating  the  testimony  respecting  the  bottle  or  jug  seen  by  the 
witness  who  was  watching  with  the  sick  man,  at  Lewiston. 


380  LETTER  XXXIV. 

as  has  already  been  stated.  Coe  testified  that  he  engaged 
the  carriage  of  Hubbard  at  the  request  of  Cheseboro.  He 
could  not  tell  how  Smith  and  Whitney  left  Canandaigua  on 
that  evening.     They  did  not  go  in  any  regular  stage. 

A  Mr.  Scrantom  testified  to  the  fact  of  Whitney's  being 
in  Canandaigua  at  the  time  of  the  abduction.  He  said  to 
witness,  he  had  come  to  engage  a  journeyman  stone-cutter, 
and  witness  went  with  him^  to  a  shop,  in  quest  of  one. 
The  workmen  were  not  at  home.  Witness  wished  to  send 
a  letter  to  Rochester,  and  Whitney  ofiered  to  take  it,  re- 
questing witness  to  bring  it  to  the  tavern  in  the  course  of 
the  evening.  He  wrote  his  letter,  and  went  by  appoint- 
ment, but  could  not  find  him  at  that  place,  or  elsewhere  in 
the  village.  Nor  was  his  name  upon  the  books  of  any  of 
the  stage  offices.  Whitney  had  seen  witness  several  times 
before  the  trial.  In  the  fall  previously,  defendant  had  asked 
witness  how  it  had  happened  that  Hall,  (the  jailor,)  knew 
of  his  having  been  in  Canandaigua  on  the  evening  of 
the  outrage.  Witness  replied  that  he  had  mentioned  the 
fact,  though  rather  incautiously,  and  in  sport.  Whitney 
then  requested  him  to  recollect  the  application  for  a  stone- 
cutter, and  the  conversation. 

An  important  witness  was  now  introduced  in  the  person 
of  Mrs.  Hanford,  the  wife  of  the  innkeeper  at  the  Landing, 
so  called.  She  testified  to  the  carriage  calling  early  in  the 
morning  of  the  13th,  as  heretofore  related.  Two  persons 
came  into  the  house,  of  whom  Hiram  Hubbard  was  one,  and 
called  for  something  to  drink.  They  took  a  decanter  to 
the  carriage,  and  when  they  returned  with  it,  drank  some- 
thing themselves.  One  of  them  said — "He  was  damned 
glad  to  get  out  of  jail  at  first !"  They  appeared  to  talk  sig- 
nificantly with  their  eyes.  She  asked  them  if  they  had  a 
prisoner.  They  replied  no,  but  only  a  man  who  had  been 
on  the  limits.     Witness  first  heard  of  the  abduction  of  Mor- 


LETTER  XXXIV.  381 

gan  through  a  statement  in  the  newspapers  ;  and  the  mo- 
ment she  saw  the  account,  she  was  convinced  by  the  cir- 
cumstances related,  that  Morgan  must  have  been  in  that 
carriage.  She  went  immediately  to  her  husband  with  the 
account,  and  she  had  endeavored  to  call  to  mind  the  looks 
of  the  two  persons  who  came  in  at  that  time.  Hubbard, 
she  was  sure,  was  one  ;  but  she  was  not  so  confident  as  to 
Whitney.  The  person  with  Hubbard  looked  like  the  de- 
fendant, but  was  not  so  delicate  in  his  hands,  or  his  complex- 
ion. Mrs.  Hanford  had  left  that  place  in  April,  following 
the  time  of  which  she  was  speaking — having  removed  to 
Pittsburgh,  where  they  had  been  living  two  years.  When 
the  carriage  drove  off,  the  man  who  came  into  the  house 
with  Hubbard,  remained  behind,  and  walked  the  stoop  for 
some  time.  There  was  something  in  the  deportment  of  the 
party  at  the  time,  that  induced  her  to  suppose  there  was 
mischief  a-foot.  Hubbard  inquired  for  oats  ;  but  as  there 
were  none  in  the  house,  he  would  not  wait  to  have  them 
brought  from  the  barn,  as  he  said  they  must  drive  to  Lew- 
iston  that  day. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Gregory,  who  lived  on  the  Ridge 
Road,  fifteen  miles  west  of  Gaines,  testified  to  the  fact  of 
meeting  the  mysterious  carriage,  on  the  13th  of  September, 
1826.  Elihu  Matthew  was  driving  it,  and  there  was  a  man 
on  the  box  with  him,  or  in  the  carriage,  who  very  strongly 
resembled  the  defendant,  John  Whitney.  Until  witness 
came  to  attend  the  present  trial,  he  had  supposed  the  person 
implicated  by  this  name,  was  Whitney  the  distiller.  Wit- 
ness had  lived  in  Rochester,  and  although  he  knew  not  John 
Whitney  by  name,  yet  he  had  seen  the  stone-cutter  a  hun- 
dred times  ;  and  it  was  now  strongly  impressed  upon  his 
mind  that  the  defendant  w  as  the  man  whom  he  saw  on  the 
coach-box  with  Mather.  He  also  met  Burrage  Smith  with 
a  horse  and  sulkey,  a  little  in  the  rear  of  the  carriage.     He 


382  LETTER  XXXIV. 

had  Adams's  pet  horse  ;  and  witness  told  him  he  was  driv- 
ing the  animal  too  hard.  Smith  replied — "  no  matter — the 
concern  is  able  to  pay  for  it." 

Levi  W.  Sibley,  a  musician  from  Rochester,  who  attend- 
ed the  installation  at  Lewiston,  on  the  14th  of  September, 
proved  that  both  Smith  and  Whitney  were  at  Lewiston  on 
the  morning  of  the  14th,  between  8  and  9  o'clock.  Wit- 
ness went  thither  in  the  steam-boat  from  Rochester.  Smith 
and  Whitney  returned  with  them  in  the  boat,  on  the  eve- 
ning of  the  installation.  Neither  of  them  went  up  in  the 
boat.  In  descending  the  river,  the  boat  stopped  at  Youngs- 
town,  and  Smith  and  Lawson  stepped  on  shore, — asking 
the  captain  if  there  would  be  time  for  them  to  go  up  to  the 
fort.  The  reply  was  in  the  affirmative,  if  they  would  go 
quick.  On  returning  to  the  boat,  they  came  from  the  direc- 
tion of  the  fort. 

The  Rev.  Francis  H.  Cuming,  (then  of  Rochester,)  deli- 
vered the  address  at  the  installation.  He  saw  Smith  and 
Whitney  there.  He  went  to  Lewiston  in  the  stage,  and 
neither  of  those  persons  went  with  him. 

The  partner  of  the  defendant  (Whitney,)  in  the  stone- 
cutting  business,  proved  that  he  left  Rochester,  in  the  win- 
ter after  Morgan's  abduction,  without  apprising  him  of  his 
intention  of  so  doing.  He  went  away  without  settling  his 
affairs,  or  arranging  their  business  ;  and  without  making  any 
provision  for  the  support  of  his  family  during  his  absence. 
He  returned  in  September,  1828. 

A  number  of  witnesses  were  successively  examined  re- 
specting the  circumstances  attending  the  journey  of  the 
closed  carriage  along  the  Ridge  Road,  but  they  testified  to 
no  new  fact  of  consequence.  A  young  man  named  Aid- 
rich,  was  next  called  upon  the  stand,  but  objections  to  his 
being  sworn  were  raised  by  the  counsel  for  the  defence, 
wpon  the  same  principles  on  which  the  testimony  of  Ed- 


LETTER  XXXIV.  383 

Ward  Giddi'ngs  had  been  excluded,  on  the  trial  of  Eli 
Bruce,  in  the  preceding  August.  It  was  proved,  on  the  one 
hand,  that  in  a  conversation  respecting  the  exclusion  of 
Giddings,  Aldrich  had  repeatedly  declared  that  his  own  be- 
lief was  the  same.  He  did  not  believe  in  any  future  punish- 
ment^  and  would  not  change  [his  principles  for  the  sake  of 
being  a  witness.  On  the  other  hand,  the  prosecution  prov- 
ed that  he  had  professed  correct  religious  notions  until  he 
was  18  years  old, — that  he  was  now  about  24, — and  that  he 
was  a  universalist,  believing  in  punishment  for  sin  in  the 
present  world,  but  not  in  the  future.  The  question  of  his 
admissibility,  under  such  circumstances,  was  very  ably  ar- 
gued on  both  sides.  Judge  Howell  afterwards  stated,  that 
there  were  great  and  increasing  difficulties  arising  upon 
these  questions.  The  court  adhered  to  the  decision  in  the 
case  of  Giddings;  but  a  majority  of  the  bench  now  doubted 
whether  the  case  of  Aldrich  could  be  brought  within  that 
rule.  He  therefore  cheerfully  acceded  to  the  opinion  of 
his  two  associate  judges,  and  would  permit  the  witness  to 
be  sworn.  The  opinion  of  the  court  was  then  called  for 
on  the  second  point,  viz :  the  necessity  of  a  belief  in  future: 
rewards  and  punishments.  Judge  Howell,  in  reply^  said 
that  he  now  concurred  in  the  opinion  of  Chancellor  Wal- 
worth, disagreeing  with  the  doctrines  heretofore  maintained 
by  the  Supreme  Court.  The  present  Supreme  Court,  he 
stated,  had  also  adopted  the  opinion  of  Chancellor  Wal- 
worth.    The  witness  was  then  sworn. 

He  lived  in  Dr.  Beach's  tavern,  in  Victor,  at  the  time 
Morgan  was  carried  off.  At  about  12  o'clock  at  night,  on 
the  12th  of  September,  he  heard  a  carriage  driving  as  he 
thought,  up  to  the  house.  Being  in  bed,  he  rose,  and  look- 
ing out,  saw  the  carriage  a  little  beyond.  Witness  went 
down  to  the  bar,  as  somebody  knocked,  desiring  to  come  in 
to  obtain  somethino-^)  drink.      lie  had  seen  two  or  thrce^ 


384  LETTER  XXXI\% 

persons  standing  by  the  door,  and  on  opening  it,  both  the 
defendants,  James  GilHs  and  John  Whitney,  entered  and 
called  for  a  bottle  of  liquor.  He  gave  them  a  decanter  of 
gin,  which  they  took  out  of  doors, — Gillis  offering  a  three 
dollar  bill  in  payment,  which  witness  could  not  change. 
Gillis  then  promised  to  pay  it  in  the  morning,  when  the  de- 
canter should  be  returned.  Witness  knew  Smith  and 
Whitney  well,  having  lived  at  Rochester,  and  believed  that 
he  saw  Smith  with  Whitney,  on  the  steps.  A  sulkey  was 
there,  and  Dr.  Beach  called  up  the  ostler  to  bring  out  a 
horse  to  put  into  it.  The  party  went  off,  and  he  saw  no 
more  of  them.  The  horse  taken  for  the  sulkey,  was  re- 
turned the  next  day,  by  the  stage  from  Rochester.  This 
testimony,  it  will  be  observed,  essentially  contradicts  Hub- 
bard's evidence  on  the  former  trials,  and  by  inference  upon 
the  present. 

Two  witnesses  were  successively  examined,  who  proved 
that  about  the  same  time  of  night,  a  carriage  drove  up  to 
the  house  of  Enos  Gillis, — a  brother  of  James,  who  lived 
a  few  rods  farther  on  their  route  than  Beach's.  The  cur- 
tains of  the  carriage  were  down,  and  it  was  turned  I'ound 
and  driven  through  the  gate,  into  Mr.  Gillis's  yard.  It  re  - 
mained  there  some  20  or  30  minutes,  and  when  driven 
away  several  persons  accompanied  it  on  horseback.  One 
of  these  witnesses  saw  James  Gillis,  the  defendant,  near  the 
carriage,  while  standing  thus  in  the  back  yard.  If  this  was 
the  carriage,  of  which  there  can  be  no  rational  doubt,  Hub- 
bard is  again  explicitly  contradicted,  upon  a  point  where 
an  honest  mistake  was  impossible.  As  to  Gillis,  the  defen- 
dant, another  witness  proved  his  returning,  on  the  following 
day,  mounted  on  his  brothers  horse.  He  said  he  had  been 
to  Rochester,  and  seven  or  eight  miles  beyond  ;  and  that  he 
came  from  Canandaigua,  to  his  brother's  house,  on  the  pre- 
ceding evening,  in  an  extra  carriage.      U,  again,  it  was 


LETTER  XXXIV.  3^ 

Hubbard's  carriage  that  he  came  in,  of  which  there  is  no 
doubt,  then  Hubbard  was  again  contradicted.  The  prose- 
cution was  here  rested. 

The  first  important  witness  called  by  the  defence,  was  Eli 
Bruce.  He  testified,  that  he  was  first  informed  that  Mor- 
gan was  coming  on  the  Ridge  Road,  on  the  evening  of  the 
13th  of  September,  by  Burrage  Smith,  and  another  person, 
now  five  hundred  miles  off,  whose  name  he  refused  to  give. 
About  six  or  eight  days  before  that  time,  a  gentleman  call- 
ed and  requested  him  to  proceed  to  Batavia,  to  take  Mor- 
gan away.  It  was  stated  that  difficulties  existed  between 
Morgan  and  Miller,  and  that  the  former  would. go  away 
willingly.  Being  sheriff*  of  the  county,  and  not  wishing  to 
involve  himself  in  any  trouble,  he  declined  the  proposal. 
At  about  the  same  time,  Orsamus  Turner  called  on  him, 
requesting  that  an  apartment  might  be  fitted  up  for  the  re- 
ception of  Morgan  in  the  jail.  He  stated  that  Morgan  was 
expected  there  that  night,  on  his  way  to  Canada,  and  had 
consented  cheerfully  to  go  away.*  Witness  was  asked  to 
go  to  Wright's  tavern,  on  the  Ridge  Road,  where  Morgan 
was  said  to  be, — he  having,  as  before  related,  been  driven 
with  the  carriage,  into  Wright's  barn.  Witness  inquired  if 
there  was  any  trouble,  declaring  that  he  wished  not  to  be 
involved  in  any.  On  his  arrival  at  Wright's,  which  was 
about  9  or  10  o'clock,  he  found  Morgan  there.  They  then 
proceeded  to  Lewiston,  and  thence  down  to  Niagara ;  David 
Hague,  now  dead,  and  Morgan,  being  the  only  persons  in 
the  carriage  from  Wright's  to  Lewiston.  He  was  not  at 
this  time  acquainted  with  John  Whitney.  At  or  near  the 
gate  beyond  Wright's,  a  person  passed  them  on  horse-back, 
whom  he  knew,  but  did  not  give  the  name.  Morgan  was 
not  bound,  but  only  a  handkerchief  placed  over  his  eyes 

*  This  was  on  the  8th — at  the  time  of  Sawyer's  expedition  to  Batavia, 
which  failed.  The  project  then  was,  to  have  carried  Morgan  direct  to  Lock* 
port.     The  Canandaigua  movement  was  a  distinct  plot. 

49 


386  LETTER  XXXIV. 

to  prevent  his  seeing  who  were  with  him.  On  leaving  the 
carriage  near  the  Niagara  biirying-ground,  they  proceeded 
to  the  ferry  near  the  fort,  and  crossed  over  into  Canada, — ■ 
where  Morgan  was  to  have  been  put  upon  a  farm.  Morgan 
did  not  get  out  of  the  boat  on  the  Canada  side  ;  and  as  the 
Masons  there  were  not  ready  to  receive  him, — their  ar- 
rangements for  his  reception  not  being  completed, — he 
was  brought  back  to  the  American  side,  and  placed  in  the  ma- 
gazine of  the  fort,  to  await  the  preparations  in  Canada.  When 
Morgan  got  out  of  the  carriage,  he  locked  arms  with  Hague, 
and  another  gentleman  who  joined  them  at  Youngstown.* 
Morgan  conversed  with  Hague, — there  was  no  liquor  in  the 
carriage, — and  he  did  not  seem  to  be  enfeebled.  He  thought 
he  was  among  friends.  Witness  left  the  fort  before  day- 
light, on  the  morning  of  the  14th;  had  never  seen  Morgan 
since,  and  knew  not  what  was  done  with  him.  Wright's 
tavern  was  three  miles  from  the  residence  of  Bruce  at 
Lockport,  at  the  intersection  of  a  road  from  the  latter  place 
with  the  Ridge  Road.  Witness  saw  several  persons  whom 
he  knew  at  Weight's;  and  at  the  installation,  a  stranger 
was  pointed  out  to  him  as  John  Whitney.  To  a  question 
as  to  whose  charge  Morgan  had  been  left  in  at  the  maga- 
zine, the  court  would  not  suffer  the  witness  to  reply — upon 
the  ground  that  no  persons  but  those  upon  trial,  should  be 
implicated.  For  the  same  reason,  also,  the  court  would  not 
allow  the  names  of  those  who  had  crossed  in  the  ferry-boat 
to  be  given.  The  project  of  taking  Morgan  away,  witness 
said,  was  not  concerted  in  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter  in  Lock- 
port,  although  it  might  have  been  talked  over  incidentally, 
in  a  desultory  manner,  by  the  members,  but  he  could  not  re- 
member specifically  the  time.  The  next  day  after  the  in- 
stallation witness  rode  back  from  Lewiston  to  Lockport  in 
a  sulkey.     He  knew  not  how  Smith  went  to  Lockport,  nor 

♦  Col.  King. 


LETTER  XXXIV.  887 

how  the  sulkey  came  there,  but  understood  that  it  was  to  be 
sent  home.  He  supposed  it  belonged  eastwardly,  and  that 
the  horse  attached  to  it  was  owned  somewhere  on  the 
Ridge,  but  if  he  had  ever  known,  he  had  forgotten  by  whom 
it  was  owned,  or  whither  he  was  to  send  it.  Such  is  a 
faithful  analysis  of  the  testimony  of  Eli  Bruce,  on  his  first 
examination  as  a  witness. 

Joseph  Garlinghouse,  called  by  the  prosecutor,  testified, 
that  he  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Clinton  to  pursue 
Smith  and  Whitney,  for  which  purpose  he  started  in  Au- 
gust, 1827,  and  proceeded  to  Louisville,  in  Kentucky — 
from  which  place  they  had  been  gone  about  three  weeks — 
Smith  to  New  Orleans,  and  Whitney  to  St.  Louis.  His 
authority  to  arrest  them  did  not  extend  beyond  Kentucky, 
and  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  pursuit.  Whitney  had 
since  stated  to  witness  that  he  was  at  the  time  engaged  in 
settling  some  important  business  afiairs  with  a  brother-in- 
law,  who  had  left  his  wife ;  and  the  knowledge  of  his  ar- 
rival in  that  region,  in  pursuit,  had  given  his  said  brother- 
in-law  an  opportunity  of  taking  the  advantage,  by  which 
circumstance,  he,  [Whitney,]  had  lost  a  thousand  dollars. 

Nicholas  G.  Cheseboro,  called  for  the  defence,  swore, 
that  he  did  not  know  Whitney  in  the  transactions  on  the 
night  of  the  12th,  at,  Canandaigua,  nor  did  he  now  recog- 
nize him  as  one  of  those  engaged  with  them  on  that  occa- 
sion. Nor  did.  he  recollect  having  seen  Gillis  there  on 
that  evening. 

The  cause  lasted  three  days.  It  was  summed  up  with 
great  ability  by  the  counsel  on  both  sides,  and  committed 
to  the  jury  by  a  brief  charge  from  Judge  Howell.  The 
jury  retired  at  10  o'clock  at  night,  and  returned  a  few 
minutes  before  12,  with  a  verdict  of  GUILTY  against 
John  Whitney,  but  in  regard  to  the  other  defendant,  Gillis, 
they  could  not  agree,  and  were  discharged.  Whitney  was 
sentenced  to  an  imprisonment  in  the  county  jail,  of  one 


588  LETTER  XXXV. 

year  and  three  months  ;  and  Eli  Bruce  to  the  same  punish- 
ment for  two  years  and  four  months.  "  During  the  whole 
"  term  of  his  imprisonment,  he  was  visited  by  Freemasons 
"  from  every  part  of  the  United  States,  who  repaired  to 
"  his  cell  as  that  of  a  martyr  suffering  for  the  conscientious 
"  discharge  of  some  high  and  imperative  duty.  Notwith- 
"  standing  the  atrocity  of  his  guilt,  so  clearly  established  by 
"  the  testimony  of  his  deputy  and  his  own  evidence,  yet 
"  crowds  daily  thronged  around  him,  testifying  their  sym- 
"  pathy  and  their  respect.  Every  comfort  that  the  laws 
•»*  would  allow  was  provided  for  him  ;  and  even  ladies  of 
*'  character  waited  upon  him  in  person,  with  delicacies  pre- 
"  pared  by  their  own  hands.  The  same  jail  has  often  con- 
"  tained  Freemasons,  imprisoned  for  debt,  who  were  never 
"  cheered  by  the  visits,  or  solaced  by  the  sympathy,  of  their 
«  brethren." 
»  Very  respectfully  yours,  &c. 


LETTER    XXXV. 

New- York,  March  14,  1832. 
Sir, 

During  the  same  spring  a  trial  took  place  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Genesee,  connected  with  this  subject,  which  excited 
some  interest  in  that  immediate  neighborhood,  though 
scarcely  heard  of  abroad.  Those  who  have  only  listened 
to  the  murmurings  of  the  Anti-masonic  excitement  at  a  dis- 
tance, without  actually  witnessing,  or  feeling,  the  force  of 
the  storm,  will  hardly  believe  it  possible,  that  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  a  case  of  the  kind  of  which  I  am  about  to^^speak, 
could  have  occurred.  Ten  years  hence,  if  the  fact  should 
be  left  unrecorded,  it  would  not  be  credited  for  an  instant. 
The  cajsQ  was  this :  During  the  first  wild  tumult  of  tlie  ex- 


LETTER  XXXV.  389 

citement,  in  1827,  in  the  delirium  of  their  success  at  the 
town  elections,  the  project  was  broached  of  excluding  the 
name  of  every  member  of  the  masonic  body  from  the  ju- 
ry box.     The  revised  laws  of  the  state  gave  the  Anti-ma- 
sons the  power  to  do  so,  in  all  those  towns  in  which  they 
had  been  successful, — it  being  the  duty  of  the  supervisor, 
town  clerk,  and  assessors  of  the  several  towns,  annually  to 
transmit  to  the  clerks  of  their  counties  respectively,  an  al- 
phabetical list  of  the  names  of  all  persons  in  the  said 
towns,  qualified  and  of  sufficient  understanding  to  serve  as 
jurors.     It  is  likewise  by  that  act  made  the   duty  of  those 
officers,    annually   to    return   a    like    list  to   the    county 
clerks,  of  all  persons,  so  previously  returned  as  qualified 
jurors,  but  who  have  since  died,  removed  out  of  the  coun- 
ty, or  become  otherwise  disqualified, — and  the  slips  of  pa- 
per containing  the  names  of  persons  so  returned,  are  to  be 
taken  from  the  jury  box  by  the  county  clerk  and  destroy- 
ed.    Those  returns  are  transmitted  by  the  town  clerks  to 
the  clerks  of  the  counties.     It  was  under  the  provisions  of 
this  act,  that  the  officers  of  the  town  of  Bethany,  in  the 
county  of  Genesee,  determined  to  exercise  their  brief  au- 
thority against  the  Masons ;  and  some  of  the  most  pious 
and  respectable  citizens  of  that  town  were  put  under  tha 
ban  of  exclusion,  and  so  far  disfranchised  as  to  be  returned 
to  the  county  clerk  as  "  disqualified."     The  duty  of  this 
officer  was  not  discretionary;  and  the  names  of  the  unof- 
fending Masons  of  Bethany  were  withdrawn,  and  the  slips 
whereon  they  were  written,  destroyed.     It  may  well  be 
supposed  that  among  a  people  no  less  free  than  jealous  of 
their  rights,   such  an  outrage  upon  their  civil   privileges 
would  not  be  patiently  or  quietly  submitted  to,     A  com- 
plaint was  preferred  to  the  grand  jury  against  the  town 
clerk  of  Bethany,  as  the  agent  in  the  transaction,  and  he 
was  indicted,  much  to  their  credit,  even  by  an  Anti-mason-, 
ic  grand  jury.     The  indictment  was  tried  at  the  court  of 


390  LETTER  XXXV. 

Oyer  and  Terminer  held  at  Batavia,  in  April,  1829.  "  It 
"  appeared  in  evidence  that  those  returned  as  disqualified 
"  jurors  were  freeholders,  and  it  was  admitted  by  the  de- 
"  fendant's  counsel,  that  they  were  men  of  understanding, 
"  of  intelligence  and  integrity  ;  it  was  also  admitted  that 
**  they  were  returned  as  disqualified  because  they  were  Ma- 
"  sons.  It  appeared  in  evidence  that  great  excitement  pre- 
"  vailed  in  Bethany  at  that  time,  and  that  the  exclusion  of 
"  Mason  from  juries  was  frequently  talked  of,  and  generally 
"  conceded  to  be  correct  and  proper.  It  appeared  also  by 
*'  one  witness  that  the  town  clerk  wms  told  that  if  he  did 
"  not  take  care  of  their  interest,  (the  Anti-masons)  they 
"  would  take  care  of  him.  The  defendant,  however,  was 
"  proved  to  be  a  man  of  integrity  and  candour,  and  it  was 
-*'  abundantly  shown  that  he  acted  by  the  advice  and  coun- 
"  sel  of  others,  and  apparently  with  a  view  conscientious- 
*'  ly  to  discharge  his  trust.  The  court  charged  the  jury, 
**  that  although  the  defendant  had  grossly  mistaken  his  du- 
**  ty,  they  did  not  think  there  was  evidence  enough  to  show 
"  that  he  acted  corruptly.  They  also  charged  that  the  de- 
**  fendant  could  not  be  convicted  on  the  indictment,  be- 
"  cause  he  acted  merely  as  the  clerk  of  the  board  of  in- 
"  specters  in  making  the  return."  The  court,  therefore, 
advised  the  jury  to  acquit  the  defendant,  which  was  accor- 
dingly done.  The  foregoing  quotation  is  from  Brown's  His- 
tory— a  work  which  is  in  general  too  partial  to  allow  much 
reliance  to  be  placed  upon  it,  in  matters  of  opinion ;  but 
in  the  present  case  I  am  free  to  adopt  the  author's  commen- 
tary, when  he  declares  his  conviction  "  that  the  returning 
"  of  Masons  as  disqualified  jurors  was  in  violation  not  on- 
«  ly  of  the  letter  but  of  the  spirit  of  the  law.  In  criminal 
^  cases,  however,  the  intention  constitutes  the  sole  criterion 
>*  of  guilt.  Some  palliating  circumstances  were  proved  on 
"  the  part  of  the  defendant,  and  it  was,  therefore,  upon  the 
f*  whole  perhaps  right  that  he  should  have  been  acquitted ; 


LETTER  XXXV.  391 

"  still  it  was  equally  proper  that  he  should  have  been  ar- 
"  raigned  at  the  bar  of  his  country  for  an  act  sanctioned 
"  neither  by  law  nor  justice,  and  which  could  not  be  done 
"  without  trampling  upon  both.'' 

The  irritation  arising  from  attempts  like  the  foregoing,  ta 
oppress  the  Masons — without  reference  to  their  guilt  or  in- 
nocence in  the  Morgan  outrage, — was  enough  to  render 
the  society  of  any  neighborhood  sufficiently   unpleasant ; 
but  the  most  unhappy  consequences  resulting  from  the  ex- 
citement to  the  social  relations  of  the  people,  were  connect- 
ed with  the  institutions  of  religion.     A  very  considerable 
number  of  the   clergy,  of  different  sects,  belonged  to  the 
masonic  institution.     Various  circumstances  had  conspired 
to  bring  them  into  the  lodges.     The  Masons,  themselves, 
courted  the  fellowship  of  the  clergy,  to  increase  their  own 
respectability,  by   acquiring  a  more   sober  and  hallowed 
character  than  the  world  were  disposed  to  allow  them  to 
possess  ;  for  which  purpose  the  Grand  Lodge,  several  years 
since,  authorised  their  gratuitous  admission.     Such  a  re- 
gulation in  their  favor,  was  naturally  flattering  to  them  ; 
their  curiosity  respecting  the  supposed  mysteries  of  the  or- 
der, was  as  easily  excited  as  with  other  people  ;  and  it  was 
very  natural  for  them  to  suppose  that  by  joining  themselves 
to  the  fraternity,  they  might  increase  their  own  usefulness 
in  the  cause  of  their  master.     But  the  opponents  of  the  Ma- 
sons for  a  long  time  knew  of  no  distinctions  ;  and  the  divine 
in  the  pulpit,  with  his  deacons  at  the  altar,  if  they  had  ever 
attached  themselves  to  the  proscribed  order,  were  as  likely 
to  be  scorched  by  the   burning  zeal  directed   against  the 
craftj  as  the  humble  tylcr  with  his  drawn  sword  at  the  door 
of  the  lodge-room.     The  fiercest  contentions  arose  in  local 
churches ;  clergymen  were  dismissed,  or  compelled  to  re- 
sign their  pastoral   charges  ;  fellow-members  of  churches 
refused  to  partake  of  the  sacred  elements  of  the  supper  at 
the  same  table  ;  and,  in  one  instance,  a  clergyman  bearing 


392  LETTER  XXXV. 

the  curse  of  Freemasonry,  was  personally  assaulted  in  th^:^^ 
pulpit.     From  single  churches,  the  spirit  of  proscription^^* 
entered  many  ecclesiastical  bodies,  threatening  to  produce 
a  wider  field  of  spiritual  disunion  and  desolation. 

In  these  measures,  I  am  constrained  to  say  that  the  Bap- 
tists, long  ranking  among  the  most  unassuming  and  most 
tolerant  of  modern  religious  sects,  took  the  lead,  by  the 
adoption,  at  the  Genesee  Consociation  held  in  June,  1828,  of 
a  declaratory  resolution,  "  that  they  would  neither  license, 
"  ordain,  or  install,  those  who  sustain  any  connexion  with 
"  the  institution  of  Masonry,  or  who  will  not  disapprove  and 
"  renounce  it ;  nor  would  they  give  letters  of  recommenda- 
"  tion  in  favor  of  such  persons  to  preach  in  any  of  the  church- 
"  es  in  their  connexion."  This  resolution  called  forth  a  re- 
ply, in  a  printed  letter  of  twenty  pages,  by  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Emerson,  of  Connecticut,  a  member  of  the  same  denomina- 
tion of  religionists,  which  a  judicious  friend  would  never 
have  advised  him  to  make  public  ; — for  although  the  wri- 
ter spoke  many  truisms,  and  said  sundry  sensible  things,  yet 
he  was  clearly  ignorant  of  the  actual  facts  of  the  case  in  the 
western  part  of  New- York.  He  knew  not  what  a  load  of 
guilt  had  been  incurred  by  a  portion  of  the  fraternity  in 
that  section  of  country,  which  was  then  pressing  the  insti- 
tution to  the  earth.  Nor,  had  he  been  ever  so  well  inform- 
ed, was  he  the  Hercules  to  remove  the  burden.  His  letter, 
in  fact,  was  such  as  might  have  been  expected  from  a  fanci- 
ful sophomore,  just  »' brought  from  darkness  to  light,"  who 
had  neither  searched  backwards  for  the  history  of  the  or- 
der, nor  looked  forward  to  consequences.  The  effect  was 
obvious.  The  Consociation  put  forth  a  reply  which  not 
only  shivered  his  lance  into  splinters,  but,  from  the  mildness 
of  its  tone,  and  the  unpretending  ability  with  which  it  was 
written,  while  it  left  their  assailant  hors  du  comhaU  gave 
them  an  advantage  in  the  argument  in  favor  of  their  resolu- 
tion-, which   they   would   not   otherwise  have  possessed. 


LETTER  XXXV.  393 

Other  ecclesiastical  bodies  in  the  same  connexion,  followed 
the  example,  and  among  them  the  Baptist  Association,  sit- 
ting in  the  same  year,  as  I  believe,  in  the  county  of  Sarato- 
ga. A  clergyman,  by  the  name  of  John  Lamb,  was  exclu- 
ded from  the  Baptist  Church  in  Waterford,  for  being  a  Free- 
mason ;  and  the  difficulties  arising  upon  the  subject  in  that 
religious  community,  continued  down  to  the  last  year,  at 
which  time  an  ecclesiastical  council  was  held  to  consider  of 
the  matter.  The  publications  of  the  parties  lead  me  to  sup- 
pose that  much  ill  blood  had  been  excited,  and  kept  in  quick 
circulation,  in  reference  to  this  subject,  during  the  whole 
period  since  the  excommunication  of  Mr.  Lamb.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1829,  the  Baptist  Conference  for  the  state  of  New- 
York,  held  a  session  at  Whitesborough,  in  the  county  of 
Oneida.  At  this  meeting  Freemasonry  was  a  leading  topic 
of  discussion,  and  a  resolution  was  adopted  declaring  it  to 
be  the  duty  of  every  member  of  a  christian  church,  who 
was  a  Freemason,  to  dissolve  his  connexion  with  that  insti- 
tution ;  but  excusing  such  members  from  disclosing  mason- 
ic secrets,  or  avowing  any  opinions  as  to  the  character  or 
tendency  of  Masonry.  This  resolution  gave  high  dissatis- 
faction to  some  of  the  Baptist  associations  in  the  western 
part  of  the  state  ;  and  the  association  of  Chautauque  county, 
in  September  last,  published  a  strong  address  and  protest 
against  so  lenient  a  resolution.  Nothing  short  of  a  require- 
ment of  unqualified  renunciations,  in  such  cases,  would  sat- 
isfy those  western  churches.  In  the  Baptist  Association  of 
this  part  of  the  state,  the  principle  of  the  Whitestown  Con- 

,  ference  seems  to  have  been  extended,  and  all  members  of 
the  church,  who  would  not  renounce  visiting  the  lodge-room, 
were  excluded  from  the  sacramental  rites  of  the  religion 
they  professed.     I  do  not  know  that  in  this  city  there  was 

^,any  occasion  to  enforce  the  regulation,  but  such  a  principle  was 

adopted,  and  is  yet  a  rule  of  action  wiul  that  denomination. 

50 


394  LETTER  XXXV. 

The  Associated  Reformed  Synod  of  New- York,  at  a 
meeting  in  Newburgh,  in  1830,  likewise  took  up  the  subject 
of  Freemasonry,  and  unanimously  adopted  resolutions  ex- 
pressing their  decided  disapprobation  of  the  principles  and 
usages  of  Freemasonry,  warning  their  people  against  all 
connexion  with  the  institution,  and  enjoining  it  upon  all 
church  sessions  under  their  inspection,  to  adopt  efiective 
measures  "  to  remove  the  contamination  from  their  church- 
"  es."  But  as  this  branch  of  the  christian  church  is  descen- 
ded from  the  Scots,  their  ecclesiastics  find  a  sufficient  war- 
rant for  this  procedure  in  the  annals  of  their  own  denomi- 
nation. So  long  ago,  even,  as  1757,  the  Associate  Synod  of 
Scotland  passed  an  act,  after  great  deliberation,  requiring 
the  church  sessions  under  their  charge  to  make  diligent 
investigation  among  their  people,  to  ascertain  whether  any 
of  them  had  taken  the  masonic  oaths.  All  persons  who 
should  be  found  to  have  received  them,  were  required  to 
renounce  ;  and  unless  they  did  so,  and  expressed  contrition 
for  what  they  had  done,  they  were  "  to  be  reputed  under 
"  scandal,  incapable  of  admission  to  sealing  ordinances,  till 
"  they  answer  and  give  satisfaction  as  before  appointed." 
The  sessions  were  moreover  directed  "  to  proceed  unto 
"  higher  censure,  as  they  shall  see  cause,  in  the  case  of  per- 
"sons  whom  they  may  find  involved  in  the  said  oaths, 
"  with  special  aggravation,  as  asking  or  relapsing  into  the 
"  same,  in  opposition  to  warnings  against  doing  so." 

In  regard  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  cognate  per- 
suasion of  orthodox  Congregationalists,  I  have  seen  but  a 
single  case  of  a  positive  inhibition  of  the  sacramental  ele- 
ments to  those  professors  who  should  refuse  to  relinquish 
their  Masonry.*     In  the  year  1828  or  '29,  the  synod  of  Gen- 

*  It  is  proper  lo  state,  however,  that  opposition  to  Masonry  did  not  s1ioa\- 
itself  for  the  first  time  in  tlic  Pre.sl)yt<Mi;in  Church  of  the  United  States,  ut- 
ter the  Morgan  outruoe.  A  strong  report  against  the  masonic  institution, 
was  made  in  1820,  in  the  synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Chnith,  assembled  at 


LETTER  XXXV.  395 

esee  recommended  the  withdrawal  of  their  church  members 
from  the  institution,  but  did  not  insist  upon  such  an  act,  or  a 
formal  renunciation.  A  declaration  in  the  following  words 
was,  however,  recommended  to  the  consideration  of  the 
christian  brethren : — "  I  cheerfully  make  known  for  the 
"  satisfaction  of  my  christian  brethren,  that  I  have  discon- 
*'  tinned  all  connexion  with  the  institution  of  Freemasonry, 
"  and  intend  to  remain  so  disconnected  during  my  life  ;  and 
"  that  I  recognise  no  obligations  devolving  on  me  in  conse- 
"  quence  of  masonic  oaths,  as  binding  me  to  do  or  counte- 
"  nance  any  thing  which  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  mo- 
"  rality  of  the  gospel,  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  as  common- 
"ly  understood  among  my  christian  brethren."  Church 
difficulties  having  arisen  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  in  1830, 
upon  this  subject,  and  attempts  having  been  made  to  ex- 
clude adhering  Masons  from  their  christian  rights  and  pri- 
vileges, a  large  ecclesiastical  council  of  clergymen  with 
their  delegates  was  convened  at  Danville,  in  that  year. 
Their  proceedings  were  marked  with  mildness  and  wisdom. 
They  refused  excluding  their  masonic  brethren  from  the 
rites  of  the  church,  but  advised  them  to  cease  attending 
lodges,  although  they  might  not  choose  formally  to  re- 
nounce ;  and  they  also  recommended  the  adoption  of  a  de- 
claration, after  the  form  of  the  synod  of  Genesee.  But  the 
series  of  resolutions  adopted  by  that  council,  breathe  the 
genuine  spirit  of  Christianity — that  spirit  "  which  suftereth 
"  long,  and  is  kind." 

The  Rochester  Presbytery,  however,  forming  the  excep- 
tion made  above,  early  in  the  year  1829  published  various 
considerations  with  a  view  to  remedy  present  evils,  and 
prevent  future  ones,  which  required  the  "  ministers  and 


Pittsburgh.  Long  and  animated  debates  arose  upon  the  subject,  and  its 
consideration  was,postponed  until  another  year,  when  it  was  renewed.  The 
craft,  however,  treated  the  attack  with  a  degree  of  indifference  bordering 
upon  contempt,  and  the  report  was  never  adopted. 


396  LETTER  XXXV. 

"  members'^  of   the  respective  churches  under   their  im- 
mediate charge,  "  absolutely  to  dissolve  their  connexion 
"  with  Freemasonry,  and  explicitly  to  signify  the  same  to 
"  their  christian  brethren."     One  of  their  reasons  for  re- 
sorting to  this  measure,  is  stated  to  be  "  the  well-known 
"  instances  of  the  employment  of  Freemasonry  as  an  instru- 
**  ment  of  evil  and  designing  men,  in  the  history  of  Illu- 
"  minism."     In  saying  this,  they -spoke  without  credible  au- 
thority, as  I  have  already  shown  in  my  eighth  letter.     But 
this  error  is  not  very  material ;  while  it  is  but  justice  to  re- 
mark, that  the  general  tone  and  scope  of  the  address  pub- 
lished by  the  Rochester  Presbytery,  was  worthy  of  much 
praise.      In  one  of  their  propositions  they  distinctly  state, 
that  while  "  they  wish  their  christian  brethren  to  withdraw 
*'  from  the  institution,  they  by  no  means  give  their  counte- 
**  nance  to  those  methods  of  renouncing  Freemasonry  that 
"  involved  a  breach  of  fidelity,  or  a  violation  of  oaths,  or 
"  other  pledges  of  confidence,  by  which  masonic  brethren 
"  may  have  bound  themselves."     They  also  enjoined  it  up- 
on their  churches  to  make  no  hasty  decisions,  or  rash  ex- 
communications ;  and  indeed  the  whole  address  was  tem- 
pered by  that  mild  and  benignant  spirit  which  is  every 
where  breathed  in  the  tolerant  doctrines  of  Christianity. 

But  to  illustrate  still  further,  the  extent,  and  the  depth  of 
feeling,  that  came  at  last  to  prevail  among  the  religious  com- 
munity at  the  west  upon  this  subject,  I  can  state,  that  large 
public  meetings  of  professors  of  religion  of  different  deno- 
minations, were  repeatedly  held,  for  the  purpose  of  consult- 
ing upon  the  moral  qualities  and  tendency  of  Masonry,  and 
the  measures  proper  and  expedient  to  be  adopted  in  rela- 
tion to  it.  Ihavd  now  before  me  the  printed  proceedings 
of  a  large  united  meeting  of  this  description,  held  in  the 
county  of  Oneida,  on  the  14th  of  January,  1830,  the  mea- 
sures adopted  at  which  were  of  the  most  decisive  charac- 
ter.    Several  members  rose  in  the  meeting,  denouncing  the 


LETTER  XXXV.  397 

institution,  and  then  and  there  renouncing  it.  Resolutions 
were  adopted  pronouncing  it  to  be  the  duty  of  all  profes- 
sors of  religion  to  withdraw,  and  declaring  that  unless  they 
did  so,  it  would  be  the  duty  of  christian  professors  to  with- 
draw the  hand  of  fellowship  from  them.  They  likewise  re- 
solved that  the  masonic  institution  was  an  obstacle  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  and  that  its  entire  overthrow  must 
precede  the  universal  emancipation  of  the  world  from  error 
and  sin.  And  finally,  "  a  special  day  of  solemn  fasting, 
"  humiliation,  and  prayer,  on  account  of  the  existence  of 
"  Masonry  in  the  church,  and  for  the  guidance  and  direc- 
"  tion  of  Almighty  God,  upon  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be 
"  treated,"  was  appointed  and  set  apart. 

But  notwithstanding  the  flow  of  pure  christian  feeling 
which  characterizes  the  most  of  their  proceedings, — and  I 
have  only  referred  to  a  few  instances,  as  specimens  of  ma- 
ny more, — I  cannot  persuade  myself  but  that  they  were  all 
entirely  wrong  in  principle.  As  to  the  worldly  govern- 
ment of  a  church,  its  members,  or  the  governing  ecclesias- 
tical power,  have  an  undoubted  right  to  prescribe  terms,  the 
same  as  in  other  voluntary  compacts.  So,  also,  as  to  the 
leading  doctrines  of  faith  and  practice.  But  in  rogard  to 
the  heart  and  the  conscience,  every- man  must  judge  and 
act  for  himself.  Nor  can  any  requirements  be  exacted,  go- 
ing beyond  those  prescribed  by  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church  himself.  Theology,  however,  does  not  properly 
appertain  to  this  discussion, — and  I  cheerfully  dismiss  this 
branch  of  my  subject,  with  the  expression  of  my  hearty  de- 
sire^ that  there  may  hereafter  be  found  too  much  wisdom  on 
all  sides  to  allow  any  section  of  the  christian  church  ever 
again  to  be  disturbed  by  such  a  question. 

1  am  very  respectfully,  yours. 


398  LETTER  XXXVI. 


LETTER    XXXVI. 

New- York,  March  16,  1832. 
Sir, 

Under  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Spencer,  great  activity  was 
manifested  in  the  legal  investigations  of  the  conspiracy  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1829.  In  the  county  of  Genesee,  all 
efforts  to  procure  indictments  for  the  conspiracy  and  ab- 
duction, had  hitherto  proved  unavailing,  although,  as  we 
have  already  seen,  there  had  been  indictments,  trials,  and 
convictions  for  the  outrages  upon  Miller.  The  special 
counsel  was  however  determined  not  again  to  be  foiled  in 
his  attempts  to  discover  the  persons  in  Genesee,  who  had 
been  engaged  in  the  conspiracy  against  Morgan.  At  the 
June  term  of  the  General  Sessions,  therefore,  Eli  Bruce  was 
brought,  on  a  habeas  corpus,  from  the  jail  of  Ontario,  to  tes- 
tify before  the  grand  jury  of  Genesee.  One  of  the  stand- 
ing counsel  of  the  persons  indicted  in  other  counties,  was 
in  attendance,  howeveV,  and  while  Bruce  was  on  his  way 
to  the  jury  room,  this  gentleman  placed  a  letter  in  his  hands. 
The  consequence  was,  that  on  being  brought  before  the 
grand  jury,  he  positively  refused  to  be  sworn  as  a  witness, 
and  persisted  in  his  refusal.  A  large  body  of  Masons  had 
collected  on  the  occasion,  and  Bruce  was  highly  compli- 
mented for  his  constancy  and  fidelity  to  the  craft.  But  nu- 
merous other  witnesses  were  examined,  and  indictments 
were  found  against  William  R.  Thompson,  the  sheriff,  Na^ 
than  Follett,  Blanchard  Powers,  and  William  Seayej,-^1 
of  whom  were  respectable  citizens.  '  •      '*•  * 

In  July,  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  was  held  in  Nia- 
gara county,  at  which  term  it  was  intended  to  bring  on  the 


LETTER  XXXVI*  399 

trial  of  the  indictments  in  that  county.  But  the  cases  were  all 
removed  by  the  defendants,  by  certiorari,  into  the  Supreme 
Court.  The  examinations  were  resumed  before  the  grand 
jury,  but  no  additional  facts  seem  to  have  been  elicited. 
James  Mather  was  examined  as  a  witness,  but  his  conduct 
was  such  as  to  subject  him  to  an  admonition  from  the  court. 
His  answers  were  so  equivocal  and  unsatisfactory,  how- 
ever, that  nothing  could  be  extracted  from  him. 

The  continued  absence  of  witnesses,  was  a  perpetual 
cause  of  embarrassment  to  the  public  prosecutor ;  and 
strong  efforts  were  made  between  the  July  and  August 
terms  of  the  courts,  to  discover  and  arrest  some  of  those 
who  had  been  secreted.  It  was  ascertained  that  one  im- 
portant witness,  by  the  name  of  Harris,  was  in  Montgom- 
ery county.  A  warrant  for  his  apprehension  was  taken 
out,  and  an  officer  despatched  for  him  with  all  possible  se- 
crecy. He  was  there  on  the  arrival  of  the  officer,  but  be- 
fore a  deputation  could  be  obtained  from  the  sheriff*  of 
Montgomery,  a  signal  was  "  given,  sent,  or  handed,"  and 
the  witness  suddenly  fled.  Hannah  Farnsworth  was  ano- 
ther important  witness  in  the  case  of  Solomon  C.  Wright, 
who  had  been  indicted  for  perjury  committed  on  the  trial  of 
Bruce.  She  long  had  baffled  all  attempts  to  arrest  her ; 
but  being  at  length  taken,  was  admitted  to  bail,  and  on  a 
promise  in  open  court  to  appear  and  testify,  she  was  releas- 
ed. She  fled,  and  her  recognizance  was  forfeited.  Nor 
could  she  afterwards  be  found. 

Another  important  absconding  witness  was  Orson  Park- 
hurst.  He  resided  at  Rochester,  with  Ezra  Piatt,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1826,  when  Morgan  was  brought  to  the  village, 
just  at  day -light,  and  was  called  up  by  Piatt,  to  drive  his 
carriage  to  Hanford's  Landing,  where  he  received  Morgan 
and  his  abductors  from  Hubbard's  carriage.  Parkhurst 
then  drove  on  with  Morgan  sixteen  miles,  to  Isaac  Allen's, 
where  fresh  horses  were  in  readiness.     Immediately  after 


400  LETTER  XXX VX. 

the  transaction,  he  absented  himself,  and  had  been  working 
in  different  and  distant  places,  until,  in  the  summer  of  1829, 
it  was  ascertained  that  he  was  residing  in  a  sequestered 
place  in  New  Hampshire. 

"  In  August,  1829,  a  court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  was 
"  held  for  Monroe  county  ;  and,  as  this  was  the  last  court 
**  at  which  a  grand  jury  would  be  assembled  in  that  coun- 
"  ty,  before  the  statute  of  limitations  would  attach  upon  pro- 
"  secutions  for  the  conspiracy  and  kidnapping,  preparations 
"  were  made  for  a  more  thorough  investigation  than  had 
**  yet  been  had."  Among  others,  an  agent  was  employed 
to  go  in  pursuit  of  Parkhurst.  He  was  found,  and  brought 
back  to  within  about  forty  miles  of  Rochester,  where  he 
mysteriously  escaped  from  the  canal  boat,  in  the  night,  and 
was  not  afterwards  heard  of  Having  understood  that  by 
subsequent  disclosures  it  had  been  ascertained  that  his  es- 
cape was  owing  to  the  fortitude,  the  energy,  and  the  affec- 
tion of  a  woman,  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Weed,  the  gentleman 
who  was  employed  as  the  agent  in  his  discovery  and  ar- 
rest, and  who  had  him  in  charge  at  the  time,  for  the  parti- 
culars ;  and  as  the  incident  partakes  somewhat  of  the  ro- 
mantic, I  beg  leave  to  enclose  you  the  annexed  extract  from 
the  reply  to  my  communication: — 

"  Obtaining  a  requisition  from  acting  governor  Throop,  for  the  apprehen- 
sion of  Parkhurst,  as  a  fugitive  from  justice,  I  found  and  apprehended 
him  in  the  town  of  Weathersfield,  Vt.  The  persons  impUcated,  know- 
ing that  I  was  in  pursuit  of  some  of  their  associates,  stationed  men  at  Al- 
bany to  watch  the  stages  and  steam  boats.  As  we  were  stepping  into  the 
stage  to  go  west  from  Albany,  Parkhurst  was  seen  by  Ehhu  Mather,  who 
drove  the  Morgan  carriage  from  Gaines  to  Ridgeway.  He  immediately 
communicated  the  fact  to  Mrs  Platt,  who  was  then  residing  at  Albany. 
In  the  absence  of  her  husband,  whose  indictment  and  conviction  were  sure 
to  follow  Parkhurst's  testimony,  Mrs  P.  instantly  disguised  her  sex,  by  as- 
suming men's  apparel,  obtained  a  sulkey,  which  she  drove  with  great  speed 
to  Schenectady,  where  she  overtook  the  stage,  and  kept  along  in  company 
with  us  to  Utica, — without,  however,  getting  an  opportunity  of  making  her- 
self known  to  Parkhurst. 


LETTER  XXXVI.  401 

"  At  Utica,  we  took  a  canal  boat,  and  Mrs.  P.  kept  on  in  the  stage  to 
Weeds-Port,  where  she  anticipated,  and  awaited  our  arrival.  We  reached 
there  early  in  the  evening,  and  Mrs.  P.  came  on  board.  In  the  course  of  the 
evening  she  got  an  opportunity  to  make  herself  known  to  Parkhurst,  who 
readily  consented  to  make  an  effort  to  escape.  The  project  was  facilitated 
by  the  captain,  (who  was  a  Mason,  and  an  acquaintance  of  Piatt's  ;)  and 
sending  the  helmsman  to  bed,  the  captain  took  that  post  himself.  At  about 
one  o'clock,  while  1,  who  thought  all  danger  and  possibility  of  escape  was 
over,  had  fallen  to  sleep,  the  stern  of  the  boat  was  laid  ashore,  and  the 
lady,  with  my  false  witness,  took  the  tow  path,  in  the  depth  of  the  Monte- 
zuma marshes,  and  made  a  successful  retreat. 

"  Parkhurst,  before  meeting  with  Mrs.  Piatt,  had  made  up  his  mind  to  go 
to  Rochester,  and  reveal  all  he  knew,  and  he  could  only  have  been  induced 
to  escape,  by  just  such  an  appeal  as  was  made  to  him.  He  had  been  an 
inmate  of  Piatt's  family  nearly  two  years,  during  which  time  he  had  had  a 
severe  fit  of  sickness,  and  received  the  kindest  attentions  from  Mrs.  Piatt,  of 
whose  estimable  character  all  who  know  her  bear  cheerful  testimony. 
The  welfare  of  her  family,  and  the  liberty  of  her  husband,  were  in  the  hands 
of  Parkhurst.  She  had  treated  him  when  sick,  with  the  tenderness  of  a 
mother,  and  he  would  have  been  less  than  human,  to  have  been  deaf  to 
such  an  appeal.  It  was  not  until  the  last  summer,  that  1  ascertained  in 
what  manner  Parkhurst  escaped.  The  devotedness  of  the  action,  on  the 
part  of  an  affectionate  wife  and  mother,  entirely  soothed  the  feelings  of 
mortification  occasioned  by  the  escape  of  my  fugitive." 

It  was  believed  that  had  the  attendance  of  Parkhurst  been 
secured,  he  would  have  identified  several  persons  in  Ro- 
chester, as  having  participated  in  the  conspiracy  and  ab- 
duction. The  only  person  indicted  at  this  term,  however, 
was  the  Rev.  Francis  H.  Cuming,  then  a  settled  clergy- 
man, in  that  place.  He  has  since  left  the  state.  The  in- 
dictment against  Simeon  B.  Jewett,  was  removed  to  the 
Supreme  Court  at  this  term,  by  the  defendant.  At  the 
October  term  of  that  tribunal,  Jewett  made  a  mo- 
tion to  quash  the  indictment,  on  the  ground  that  par- 
tiality had  been  exercised  by  town  officers,  in  selecting 
grand  jurors  from  the  ranks  of  the  Anti-masons,  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  masonic  fraternity,  and  also  that  some  of  the 
members  of  the  grand  jury  had  expressed  opinions  upon 

the  question  of  his  innocence.     The  motion  was  denied. 

51 


402  LETTER  xxxvr. 

In  September  further  investigations  were  made  before  at 
grand  jury  of  Niagara,  and  indictments  were  found  againit 
Henry  Maxwell  and  Norman  Shepherd.  "  An  attachment 
"  was  issued  against  John  W.  Beals,  who  had  been  duly 
"  subpoenaed  to  attend  this  court  as  a  witness,  and  had  re- 
"  fused  to  attend.  He  was  a  respectable  citizen,  and  a 
•*  Mason  of  high  grade.  He  was  arrested  on  the  attach- 
"  ment,  and  gave  bail  to  appear  and  answer  for  his  con- 
"  tempt.  But  he  did  not  appear,  and  his  bonds  were  for- 
"  feited." 

But,  notwithstanding  the  legal  proceedings  of  the  summer 
of  1829,  to  which  I  have  thus  rapidly  adverted,  the  public 
mind  seemed  to  have  become  more  tranquilized,  and  less 
clamor  was  heard  at  a  distance  upon  the  subject  of  Anti- 
masonry.  The  character  of  the  special  counsel  who  had 
been  clothed  with  the  whole  power  of  the  state  to  bring  to 
punishment  the  offenders,'  was  such  as  to  deserve,  if  not  to 
command,  the  entire  confidence  of  the  people  ;  and  it  was 
hoped,  that  a  consciousness  that  all  which  the  law  would 
allow,  and  the  zeal  and  ability  of  an  indefatigable  man 
could  accomplish,  would  have  entirely  allayed  the  excite- 
ment, and  stripped  it,  in  a  measure,  of  its  political  charac- 
ter. But  as  the  November  elections  approached,  the  new 
party  again  took  the  field  with  renewed  activity,  and  the 
result  showed  that  their  principles  of  action  had  struck 
deeper  root,  and  spread  wider  their  branches.  The  elec- 
tions, it  is  true,  were  of  less  interest  than  those  of  the  prece- 
ding year,  which  involved  the  choice  of  a  governor,  mem- 
bers of  congress,  and  a  president  for  the  Union.  But  the 
Anti-masons  nevertheless  turned  out  to  a  man ;  marched 
up  to  the  polls  with  as  much  solemnity  as  the  Covenanters 
in  Scotland  whilom  went  to  battle  ; — demanding  "  where  is 
"  Morgan  ?"  and  voting  down  all  parties.  They  carried  four- 
teen of  our  western  counties  at  this  election,  and  one  in  the" 
eastern  part  of  the  state.     In  many  other  counties  where 


LETTER  XXXVII.  40S 

the  Anti-masons  were  unsuccessful,  they  showed  an  aug- 
mented number  of  votes  ;  and  the  total  number  polled  upon 
that  question,  was  computed  at  about  60,000.  No  evidence 
of  "  dying  away,"  was  read  in  that  result. 

Very  respectfully,  &c. 


LETTER    XXXVII. 

New- York,  March  18,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  next  in  the  series  of  trials  of  which  I  have  given 
an  abstract,  is  that  of  Elihu  Mather,  who  was  indicted  for 
participating  in  Morgan's  abduction,  being  accused  of  driv- 
ing the  carriage  in  which  he  was  conveyed,  through  the  coun- 
ty of  Orleans,  towards  Niagara ;  and  the  main  question  in 
which  seemed  to  be,  whether  or  not  he  knew  the  fact,  that 
Morgan  was  in  it,  and  carried  forcibly  without  his  consent. 

This  case  was  brought  to  trial  before  Judge  Gardiner,  at 
the  Circuit  Court  held  in  the  county  of  Orleans,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1829.  So  much  difficulty  was  experienced  in  empan- 
nelling  a  jury,  and  so  much  contrariety  of  testimony  was 
taken  before  them,  that  the  trial  of  the  cause  lasted  ten  days. 

The  first  questions  arose  in  the  empannelling  of  the  jury 
to  try  the  accused.  Robert  Anderson  was  called  and  chal- 
1  enged  for  principal  cause,  on  the  ground  that  the  defendant 
and  juror  were  both  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity. 
This  was  demurred  to,  and  the  demurrer  sustained  by  the 
judge,  on  the  ground  that  as  nothing  appeared  by  the  plead- 
ings as  to  the  nature  and  objects  of  that  association,  it  form- 
ed no  legal  qualification,  and  consequently  was  not  the  sub- 
ject of  challenge  for  principal  cause. 

Anderson  was  then  challenged  for  favor.  Dr.  Joseph  K. 
Brown,  on  the  part  of  the  people,  testified,  that  there  was  a 


404  LETTER  XXXVII. 

pqint  in  an  obligation  he  took  like  this — "  that  I  will  aid  and 
"assist  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason  whenever  I  shall 
"  see  him  engaged  in  any  difficulty,  so  far  as  to  extricate 
"  him  from  the  same,  whether  right  or  wrong,"  and  that  he 
knew  of  no  exception  or  qualification.  Daniel  Pratt  and 
Archibald  L.  Daniels  were  also  sworn,  to  prove  a  particular 
intimacy  between  the  accused  and  the  proposed  juror  ;  but 
nothing  on  this  head  was  shewn  beyond  the  ordinary  cour- 
tesies of  friendship.  Robert  Anderson  was  then  sworn  on 
the  part  of  the  defendant,  and  testified,  that  there  was  a 
clause  in  the  Royal  Arch  Mason's  oath,  which,  without  be- 
ing qualified,  was  something  to  the  effect  mentioned  by  Dr. 
Brown.  That  qualification  he  stated  to  be,  that  when  he 
saw  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  a  quarrel  with  another,  he  was 
to  try  to  get  him  away,  and  give  him  a  particular  sign, 
whether  right  or  wrong  in  that  quarrel, — but  that  all  obli- 
gations, lectures,  and  charges,  expressly  required  him  to 
obey  the  laws.  The  friendship  between  Masons,  he  said, 
was  similar  to  that  which  exists  among  members  of  church- 
es and  societies,  liable  to  be  severed  by  personal  or  poHti- 
cal  considerations.  Witness  admitted,  on  cross-examination, 
that  he  might  have  said  at  first  that  he  did  not  believe  Mor- 
gan to  have  been  carried  off  against  his  will — he  then 
thought  it  might  possibly  be  a  trick  between  Miller  and 
Morgan, — and  had  participated  in  the  feelings  of  Masons 
generally,  on  the  subject.  Had  no  particular  opinion 
whether  Morgan  was,  or  was  not,  in  the  carriage  when  it 
arrived  at  Gaines,  but  was  impressed  with  the  idea  that,  if 
so,  Mather  must  have  known  it. 

Isaac  W.  Averil,  Milton  W.  Hopkins,  and  Orson  Nichol- 
son were  also  adduced  by  the  counsel  for  the  people.  No- 
thing of  interest  was  elicited  from  the  former  witness,  and 
the  main  point  bearing  upon  the  case  testified  to  by  the  two 
latter,  (in  which  they  concurred,)  was,  that  the  inculcation  to 
be  a  good  citizen,  and  obey  the  laws,  was  contained  in  the 


LETTER  XXXVII.  405 

charge,  and  not  in  the  oath, — but  that  there  was  no  obhga- 
tion  to  protect  or  commit  crime.  . 

The  judge  instructed  the  triers,  that  if  in  their  opinion  it 
was  proved,  contrary  to  the  testimony  of  Anderson,  that 
the  obligations  were  given  without  being  accompanied  at 
the  time  by  the  explanation  he  had  given,  it  should  exclude 
him  as  a  juror.  Even  then,  if  they  found  evidence  of  at- 
tachment or  prepossession  between  them,  sufficient  to  create 
a  bias  which  would  not  readily  yield  to  testimony,  it  would 
be  their  duty  to  pronounce  him  unquaUfied.  The  triers  de- 
termined that  Robert  Anderson  did  not  stand  indifferent. 

John  Dolly  was  also  called  as  a  juror,  and  challenged  for 
principal  cause,  which  was  overruled  by  the  judge,  and  he 
was  then  challenged  for  favor  by  the  counsel  for  the  peo- 
ple. The  proposed  juror  testified  on  this  issue  that  he  was 
a  mason  of  eight  or  nine  degrees,  and  acquainted  masoni- 
cally  with  the  defendant. 

Joseph  K.  Brown  again  testified  as  to  the  nature  and  ex- 
tent of  masonic  obligations,  substantially  as  he  did  in  the 
case  of  Anderson. 

Orson  Nicholson  and  Wm.  Ruggles  were  also  called,  but 
the  results  of  their  examination  did  not  seem  essentially  to 
vary  the  bearing  of  the  point  in  issue  from  what  it  was  in 
Anderson's  case.  The  triers  however  decided  that  John 
Dolly  did  not  stand  indifferent. 

Stephen  Martin,  Jr.,  wa§  challenged  for  principal  cause  by 
the  defendant,  on  the  ground  that  he  had  formed  and  ex- 
pressed an  opinion  of  his  guilt,  and  called  Eldridge  Far- 
well,  who  testified  that  he  had  heard  Martin  say,  that  he 
believed  the  masonic  institution  to  be  corrupt, — that  Mor- 
gan had  been  carried  away  by  Masons  alone,  along  the 
Ridge  Road,  in  a  carriage  driven  by  Elihu  Mather, — that 
he  knew  Morgan  was  in  it,  and  he  (witness)  believed  him  to 
be  guilty.  The  public  prosecutor  then  offered  the  chal- 
lenged juror  to  explain,  who  testified  that  he  had  no  fixed 


406  LETTER  XXXVII. 

opinions  of  the  prisoner's  guilt,  other  than  such  as  were 
founded  on  printed  statements  in  the  papers  and  reports  in 
conversation.  If  the  evidence  supports  the  circumstances 
he  has  heard,  then  he  has  a  fixed  belief  of  the  guilt  of  the 
defendant,  otherwise  not,  and  in  such  case  his  present  belief 
would  be  removed.  Upon  this  evidence  the  judge  decided 
that  the  challenge  for  principal  cause  was  sustained,  and 
the  juror  was  set  aside. 

Samuel  Clark,  another  juror,  was  called,  and  a  principal 
challenge  for  cause  was  made  to  him  by  defendant's  coun- 
sel. Upon  being  sworn  as  a  witness,  he  testified  that  he 
had  formed  an  opinion,  but  had  not  expressed  it.  The 
court  thereupon  decided  that  the  challenge  was  not  sustain- 
ed. He  was  then  challenged  to  the  favor  by  defendant's 
counsel,  and  being  again  sworn,  testified  that  he  had  formed 
an  opinion  that  the  defendant  was  guilty.  On  his  cross-ex- 
amination, he  stated  that  his  opinion  was  formed  in  conse- 
quence of  reports,  and  of  what  he  had  read.  The  judge 
charged  the  triers  that  if  they  believed  the  juror  had  now  a 
fixed  opinion  which  it  would  require  testimony  to  remove, 
he  was  disqualified,  whether  that  opinion  was  founded  on 
rumor  alone,  or  on  rumor  and  printed  statements.  The 
triers  decided  that  the  juror  was  not  indifferent. 

Carlos  C.  Ashley,  a  tales-man,  (the  panel  being  exhaust- 
ed,) was  returned  by  the  sheriff,  and  testified  that  he  had 
not  formed  or  expressed  any  opmion  of  the  guilt  or  inno- 
cence of  the  defendant.  On  his  further  examination,  he 
stated  that  he  had  been  for  eighteen  months  a  partner  with 
James  Mather,  the  defendant's  brother,  in  the  tanning  busi- 
ness :  that  James  Mather  was  rich,  and  furnished  the  capi- 
tal, and  that  he,  witness,  was  poor,  and  furnished  the  labor 
for  carrying  it  on ;.  that  he  had  been  in  the  employ  of 
James  Mather  three  months  before  the  partnership  com- 
menced, and  that,  during  all  that  time,  the  subject  of  Mor- 
gan's abduction  had  never  been  the  subject  of  conversation, 


LETTER  XXXVII.  407 

although  he  had  read  the  newspaper  reports  of  the  trials  of 
Bruce  and  Whitney.  Had  formed  no  fixed  opinion  of  the 
guilt  or  innocence  of  the  defendant,  and  thinks  he  can  hear 
the  testimony  and  give  it  its  due  weight,  without  any  strug- 
gle in  his  own  mind.  The  judge  decided  that  the  juror 
was  indifferent.  He  was  accordingly  sworn,  and  the  paneL 
being  full,  the  trial  proceeded. 

Mary  W.  Hall,  Israel  R.  Hall,  Wyllys  Turner,  and  Hi- 
ram Hubbard  were  sworn;  but  their  testimony  relating 
wholly  to  the  abduction  of  Morgan  from  Canandaigua,  and 
to  that  part  of  his  conveyance  westward,  which  was  pre- 
ceding the  place  or  time  in  which  the  defendant's  alledged 
participation  in  it  commenced,  it  is  not  necessary  here  to 
recapitulate  it. 

Benjamin  Wright,  Esq.,  of  Adams,  in  the  county  of  Jef- 
ferson, testified,  that  in  the  winter  of  1828,  the  defendant 
was  at  his  (witness')  office  in  Adams,  when  a  conversation 
took  place  between  them,  in  which  he  asked  defendant  about 
the  fate  of  Morgan.  Defendant  said  he  had  no  doubt  but 
that  Morgan  was  dead,  and  went  into  a  detail  and  mention- 
ed several  individuals,  among  whom  was  one  of  the  name 
of  Bruce.  He  said  they  were  prosecuted  so  severely,  that 
unless  the  lodges  and  chapters  should  do  something  for  thera, 
they  and  their  families  must  probably  sufier,  and  asked  wit- 
ness about  the  state  of  the  funds  of  the  lodge  and  chapter 
in  Adams.  Witness  asked' defendant  what  could  induce 
men  of  such  standing  as  those  he  named,  to  engage  in  the 
transaction  of  carrying  ofi'  Morgan.  Defendant's  reply 
was,  in  substance,  that  it  was  done  probably  without  much 
reflection.  In  the  course  of  the  conversation,  the  defend- 
ant said  he  was  called  upon,  while  he  was  in  or  about  a  tan- 
yard,  by  his  (defendant's)  brother,  or  in  a  tan-yard  of  his 
brother,  and  at  (he  time  when  he  was  so  called  upon,  he 
had  no  knowledge  of  Morgan's  being  in  the  carriage.  Wit- 
ness was  a  Freemason,  and  knew  Mather  as  such.     Being 


408  1LETTER  XXXVII. 

examined  again,  witness  testified  that  defendant  said  that 
had  he  known  that  Morgan  was  in  the  carriage  when  he 
was  called  on  to  drive  it,  or  what  this  business  would  lead 
to,  or  something  of  that  kind,  he  should  have  had  nothing 
to  do  with  it,  or  he  should  not  have  driven  the  carriage. 

Sarah  Wilder  testified  to  the  identity  of  the  carriage  in 
which  Morgan  is  supposed  to  have  been  conveyed,  whilst 
it  stopped  at  Clarkson. 

Silas  D.  Luce,  a  stage  driver  between  Oak  Orchard  and 
Clarkson,  testified  that  in  going  east,  and  within  one  and  a 
half  miles  from  Gaines'  corners,  he  saw  a  carriage  coming 
west,  and  the  defendant  just  behind  it,  riding  one  horse,  and 
leading  another,  very  fast.  That  the  defendant  soon  over- 
took the  carriage  which  stopped,  whereupon  the  horses 
were  taken  out,  and  those  brought  by  Mather  harnessed 
in.  At  this  point  of  time  witness  passed  the  carriage. 
When  the  harnessing  was  completed,  the  defendant  got  on 
the  box  and  drove  the  carriage  on.  Witness  looked  back 
and  saw  the  man  who  had  been  driving  coming  towards 
Gaines  with  the  horses  which  had  just  been  taken  from  the 
carriage.     Knew  Elihu  Mather  well. 

Israel  Murdock  testified,  that  on  13th  September,  1826, 
about  noon,  he  was  standing  at  the  door  of  Joseph  L.  Per- 
ry, at  Ridgeway,  about  nine  miles  west  of  Gaines,  and  saw 
a  carriage  coming  up  and  a  person  driving  whom  he  thought 
to  be  the  defendant.  The  next  day  he  saw  the  same  car- 
riage coming  back  from  the  west,  and  Elihu  Mather  driv- 
ing it.     He  then  distinctly  recognized  him. 

Six  respectable  and  unimpeachable  witnesses  here  suc- 
cessively testified  to  the  fact  of  having  seen  Mather,  at 
diflferent  places  on  that  day,  driving  the  carriage  westward- 
ly.  They  all  knew  Mather,  and  one  of  them  saw  him  on 
the  following  day,  returning  with  the  carriage. 

Wm.  P.  Daniels  being  sworn,  was  asked  whether  on  the 
evening  of  13th  of  September,  1826,  he,  witness,  was  at 


LETTER  XXXVII.        *  409 

the  house  of  Solomon  C.  Wright,  in  Newfane.  Witness 
refused  to  answer,  on  the  ground  that  it  might  criminate 
himself.  It  was  admitted  that  the  witness  was  not  under 
prosecution,  and  the  public  prosecutor  insisted  that  as  the 
time  fixed  by  the  statute  of  limitations  in  such  cases  had 
elapsed,  he  was  bound  to  answer.  To  this  it  was  replied, 
that  it  was  now  generally  believed  that  Morgan  was  mur- 
dered ;  and  if  so,  the  witness  might  be  indicted  as  an  acces- 
sory before  the  fact,  which  did  not  come  within  the  statute. 
The  court  sustained  the  refusal.  He  subsequently  testified 
that  Wright  kept. a  tavern  at  Newfane,  on  the  Ridge  Road, 
about  three  miles  northwesterly  from  Lockport,  and  seven 
or  eight  miles  east  from  Mollineaux's  tavern  in  Cambria, — 
that  he  does  not  know  that  defendant  was  at  Wright's  on 
the  evening  referred  to, — that  Eli  Bruce  was  at  Wright's 
on  that  evening, — thinks  that  Jeremiah  Brown  was  there 
at  the  same  time, — and  supposed  that  Brown  and  Bruce 
left  there  in  a  carriage  about  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  Some  further  questions  were  put,  which  the  wit- 
ness declined  answering,  and  which  the  court  decided  he 
was  not  bound  to  answer. 

Daniels,  the  last  mentioned  witness,  was  a  Mason,  and 
came  into  court  accompanied  by  counsel  to  whom  he  re- 
sorted on  every  difficult  occasion,  for  instructions  whether 
he  should  answer  or  not.  He  not  only  several  times  declined 
answering  questions,  but  in  one  instance  persisted  in  his  re- 
fusal, until  the  order  for  his  commitment  was  nearly  com- 
pleted, when  he  relented.  At  one  time,  he  referred  to  a 
written  memorandum,  and  read  his  answer  to  the  question 
pressed  upon  him ;  and  from  inquiry  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  answer  had  been  written  by  his  counsel ! 

Robert  MoUineaux  testified  to  the  fact  of  being  called  up 
in  the  night,  and  furnishing  horses,  as  on  former  trials,  and 
Corydon  Fox  again  repeated  his  story  of  the  night  trip 
from  Lewiston  down  to  the  fort,  without  variation.     Mr. 

52 


410  LETTER  XXXVII. 

terry  likewise  again  testified  to  the  fact  of  having  wit- 
nessed the  exchange  of  passengers  from  one  carriage  to 
another,  in  the  back  street  of  Lewiston.  One  of  the  per- 
sons taken  out  seemed  to  have  a  handkerchief  bound  about 
his  head,  and  had  not  the  use  of  his  feet. 

David  Maxwell  kept  the  turnpike  gate  on  the  Ridge 
Road  about  six  miles  east  of  MoUineaux's  and  near  to  Solo- 
mon C.  Wright's.  On  13th  September,  between  ten  and 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  a  two  horse  carriage  passed  the 
gate  to  the  west.  The  toll  was  paid  by  Jeremiah  Brown,  whom 
he  saw  returning  the  next  morning  in  the  same  carriage, 
apparently  asleep. 

Here  the  testimony  on  the  part  of  the  prosecution  closed. 

The  defendant  called  Israel  R.  Hall,  relative  to  the  trans- 
actions at  Canandaigua ;  and  also  Cory  don  Fox  and  Fred- 
erick B.  Moon  to  describe  the  premises  of  Ebenezer  Per- 
ry, and  how  far  it  was  practicable  for  him  to  have  seen  all 
he  related  from  the  positions  he  described. 

The  defendant's  counsel  then  called  five  witnesses  who 
testified  that  the  character  of  the  defendant,  up  to  the  time 
of  this  transaction,  had  been  always  that  of  a  good  citizen, 
peaceable,  mild  and  orderly,  and  that  he  had  been  distin- 
guished for  the  sobriety  and  rectitude  of  his  conduct. 

The  testimony  being  closed,  the  counsel  summed  up,  and 
the  judge  having  delivered  a  charge  to  the  juiy,  in  the 
course  of  which  he  instructed  them,  that  if  the  jury  were 
satisfied,  upon  a  review  of  the  testimony  in  relation  to  the 
removal  of  Morgan  from  the  goal  in  Canandaigua,  (as  they 
probably  would  be,)  that  a  design  had  been  formed  by 
Lawson,  Cheseboro  and  others,  to  forcibly  abduct  or  kid- 
nap Morgan,  then  the  inquiry  would  remain,  was  the 
defendant  a  party  to  that  agreement  ?  The  judge  also  ad- 
verted to  the  confidential  relation  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  abduction  of  Morgan,  to  Benjamin  Wright,  Esq.,  in 
which  he  said  that  if  ho  had  known  that  Morgan  was  in 


LETTER  XXXVII.  411 

the  carriage,  he  should  never  have  driven  it,  as  establish- 
ing the  fact,  that,  how^ever,  guilty  Mather  might  be  in  aid- 
ing the  execution  of  the  conspiracy,  he  v^^as  not  a  party  to 
it  originally.  The  judge  also  charged  the  jury,  (on  a  sug- 
gestion made  by  the  special  counsel,)  "  that  although  they 
"  were  satisfied  that  Mather  assisted  in  carrying  the  con- 
**  spiracy  into  execution  after  its  formation,  that  fact  would 
"  not,  in  the  opinion  of  the  court,  constitute  him  a  party.*' 

The  jury,  after  retiring  from  the  bar,  returned  with  a 
verdict  of  Not  Guilty.  Messrs.  Spencer,  A.  H.  Tracy  and 
J.  B.  Coles  for  the  people.  Messrs.  Mathews,  Adams  and 
Barnard  for  the  defendant. 

A  motion  was  made  to  the  Supreme  Court  for  a  new 
trial  in  this  case,  by  the  counsel  for  the  people,  upon  a 
statement  of  evidence  agreed  to  by  the  parties.  It  was 
argued  at  the  January  term  of  the  court,  and  the  case  de- 
cided at  the  May  term  following,  (1830,)  of  which  a  re- 
port may  be  found  in  IV.  Wendell,  229.  Thirteen  points 
of  exception  were  made  by  the  counsel  for  the  people ; 
but  the  judgment  of  the  circuit  judge  was  sustained  by  the 
Supreme  Court  on  all  the  points  but  one,  and  that  one  they 
did  not  deem  to  be  such  as  could  have  influenced  the  jury 
in  rendering  the  verdict  of  not  guilty.  The  motion  for  a 
new  trial  was  therefore  refused.  A  very  able  and  elabor- 
ate opinion  of  the  court  was  delivered  by  Judge  Marcy, 
but  as  my  object  is  not  the  elucidation  of  points  of  law 
but  the  facts  in  controversy,  I  have  confined  myself  to 
those  parts  only  of  the  voluminous  record  that  have  a  di- 
rect relation  to  my  purpose. 

I  have  the  honor,  &;c. 


412  LETTER  XXXVIII. 


LETTER   XXXVIII. 

New- York,  March  20,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  Legislature  of  1830,  commenced  its  session  on  the 
5th  of  January.  In  his  opening  message  to  that  body,  the 
acting  Governor  referred  to  the  Anti-masonic  excitement  in 
the  following  terms  : — "  Although. in  some  sections  of  the 
"  state  an  unusual  excitement  has  prevailed,  I  am  happy 
"to  have  it  in  my  power  to  say,  that  it  has  not  originated 
"  in  a  desire  to  change  our  constitution,  or  in  a  distrust  of 
"the  integrity  of  our  laws  ;  but  in  an  honest  zeal,  overflow- 
"ing  its  proper  boundaries,  misdirected  in  its  efforts,  and 
"  carrying  into  public  affairs  matters  properly  belonging  to 
"  social  discipline.  Such  feelings  cannot  long  exist  beyond 
"  the  limits  of  their  proper  sphere  of  action ;  and  it  is  a 
"  source  of  gratification,  that  in  this  instance  they  give  evi- 
**  dence  of  speedily  subsiding  into  their  natural  and  healthful 
"channel."  In  framing  this  paragraph,  his  excellency 
must  certainly  have  been  guided  rather  by  his  wishes,  than 
by  the  actual  facts,  as  disclosed  in  the  returns.  Twenty- 
eight  members  of  the  legislature,  elected  solely  by  the  "ex- 
citement," and  an  increase  of  nearly  thirty  thousand  votes 
from  the  preceding  year,  spoke  a  very  different  language. 
On  the  27th  of  January,  the  Executive  transmitted  to 
both  houses  of  the  legislature,  the  report  of  the  special  coun- 
sel, giving  an  accouut  of  his  proceedings,  and  the  result  of 
his  investigations,  since  his  appointment  to  execute  the  du- 
ties of  commissioner.  This  report  was  an  able  document, 
though  much  of  it  necessarily  consisted  of  a  repetition,  in 
substance,  of  the  history  of  the  outrage,  and  of  the  facts 


LETTER  XXXVIII.  413 

brought  to  light  on  the  preceding  trials.  In  addition  to  the 
recapitulation  of  the  earlier  portion  of  the  histor}^,  it  con- 
tained a  detail  of  the  material  facts  of  the  evidence  which 
had  been  disclosed  to  successive  grand  juries,  and  the  testi- 
mony, inextenso,  of  several  of  the  most  important  witnesses 
who  had  at  different  times  been  examined.  The  materials 
were  so  arranged  as  to  furnish  an  intelligible  view  of  the 
whole  subject,  down  to  that  period,  with  the  omission  only 
of  particulars  the  publication  of  which  might  have  the  effect 
of  defeating  the  ends  of  justice. 

The  legislature  was  summarily  informed  by  this  report, 
of  all  the  legal  proceedings  past  or  pending,  under  the  charge 
of  the  special  counsel.  The  period,  within  which  prosecu- 
tions for  the  Morgan  outrages  could  be  legally  instituted, 
had  now  expired,  and  no  new  indictments  could  be  found. 
Up  to  the  last  moment,  however,  the  special  counsel  had 
attended  all  the  courts  in  the  several  counties,  where  indict- 
ments could  be  procured,  and  examined  witnesses  before  the 
respective  grand  juries.  New  indictments  had  also  been 
found  in  several  instances  where  the  preceding  ones  were 
ascertained  to  be  defective.  There  were  at  the  time  of 
making  this  report,  untried  indictments  pending  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Niagara,  against  twelve  persons  ;  in  the  county  of 
Genesee,  four  ;  and  two  in  each  of  the  counties  of  Ontario  and 
Monroe.  But  two  trials  had  taken  place  during  the  pre- 
ceding year,  viz  :  those  of  Whitney  and  Gillis,  and  ofElihu 
Mather.  The  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  which  had 
been  appointed  in  the  preceding  April,  for  Niagara  County, 
had  failed,  in  consequence  of  the  indisposition  of  the  circuit 
judge.  In  July  a  special  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  had 
been  held  in  that  county,  at  which  the  indictments,  then  pend- 
ing there,  were  removed  by  the  defendants,  by  certiorari,  in- 
to the  Supreme  Court.  The  Circuit  Court  appointed  for 
that  county  in  November,  had  failed,  in  consequence  of  the 
prolonged  sitting  of  the  court  on  the  trial  of  Mather,  in  the 


414  LETTER  XXXVIII. 

county  of  Orleans  ; — so  that  the  indictments  in  Niagara 
could  not  be  brought  to  trial.  In  the  month  of  August,  a 
Circuit  and  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  had  been  held 
in  the  county  of  Monroe,  at  which  the  only  indictment  then 
pending  in  that  county,  was  removed  into  the  Supreme 
Court  by  the  defendant.  At  the  October  term  of  that  court, 
a  special  motion  by  the  defendant  was  argued  and  denied  ; 
and  at  the  term  of  the  same  court,  for  January,  not  closed 
when  the  report  was  written,  the  defendant  interposed  a 
special  plea  in  abatement.  These  proceedings  had  prevent- 
ed the  joining  issue  upon  the  innocence  or  guilt  of  the  de- 
fendant. 

In  regard  to  the  difficulties  encountered  in  pursuing  these 
investigations,  the  commissioner  made  several  statements 
of  high  importance.  All  but  two  of  the  persons  the  most 
actively  engaged  in  the  conspiracy,  as  far  as  the  facts  had 
been  ascertained,  were  Masons  of  the  Royal  Arch  degree. 
Some  of  the  witnesses  had  escaped  beyond  the  reach  of  le- 
gal process  ;  others  had  peremptorily  refused  to  testify,  be- 
ing in  the  situation  which  it  was  supposed  placed  them  be- 
yond the  legal  means  of  coercion. 

"  From  the  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  who  still  adliered  to  it, 
and  who  considered  themselves  included  in  the  indiscriminate  warfare  of 
which  an  accomit  has  been  given,  the  special  counsel  said  no  assistance 
whatever  had  been  received,  although  the  occasions  demanding  it  had  been 
frequent.  With  but  few  exceptions,  witnesses  who  still  belonged  to  the  in- 
stitution, had  been  reluctant  in  their  attendance  at  court,  and  apparently 
indisposed  to  testify.  Difiiculties  which  never  occurred  in  any  other  prose- 
cution, had  been  met  at  every  step.  Witnesses  had  been  secreted  ;  they 
had  been  sent  off  into  Canada,  and  into  different  states  of  the  Union.  They 
had  been  apprised  of  process  being  issued  to  compel  their  attendance,  and 
had  been  thereby  enabled  to  evade  its  service.  In  one  instance,  after  a 
party  implicated  had  been  arrested  and  brought  into  this  state,  he  was  de- 
coyed from  the  custody  of  the  individual  having  him  in  charge,  and  finally 
escaped.  These  occurrences,  the  commissioner  said,  had  been  so  numerous 
and  various,  as  to  forbid  the  belief  that  they  were  the  result  of  individual 
effort  alone,  and  they  had  evinced  the  concert  of  so  many  agents,  as  to  indi- 


LETTER  XXXVIII.  415 

cate  an  extensive  combination  to  screen  from  punishment  those  charged 
•with  a  participation  in  the  offences  upon  Wilham  Morgan.  No  evidence, 
hov*rever,  had  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  special  counsel,  to  justify  the 
belief  that  the  members  of  the  masonic  institution  generally,  had  been  enga- 
ged in  any  such  combination." 

The  report  having  been  read,  was  referred,  In  the  Senate, 
to  the  committee  on  the  judiciary.  On  the  motion  of  Mr* 
Maynard  that  it  be  printed,  some  opposition  was  manifest- 
ed. Mr.  Benton,  of  Herkimer,  and  Mr.  Hubbard,  of  Che- 
nango, spoke  in  opposition  to  the  motion.  The  former  gen- 
tleman first  desired  to  have  the  opinion  of  the  committee  to 
whom  it  had  been  referred,  on  the  question  of  printing. 
Mr.  Hubbard  contended  that  the  special  counsel  in  framing 
the  report,  had  travelled  out  of  the  record — beyond  the  line 
of  duty.  He  said  the  author  might  as  well  have  sent  a  po- 
litical pamphlet  to  the  legislature,  as  such  a  document.  He 
was  not  required  to  give  his  opinion  of  the  merits  or  demer- 
its of  any  particular  society.  Mr.  Maynard  replied  that  if 
the  report  ought  not  to  be  printedin  furtherance  of  the  views 
of  one  political  party,  certainly  the  printing  should  not  be 
denied  to  aid  another.  There  was  great  anxiety  among 
the  people  to  see  the  document,  and  if  the  printing  were  re- 
fused, it  would  only  serve  to  kindle  anew,  and  increase,  the 
excitement  so  much  deplored.     The  motion  prevailed. 

It  was  stated  by  the  special  counsel,  in  his  report,  that, 
from  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  case,  he  had  deemed 
it  a  solemn  duty  to  object  to  the  empannelling  of  any  Royal 
Arch  Masons  as  jurors  upon  the  trial  of  indictments  against 
their  brethren ;  and,  on  the  trial  of  Mather,  the  objection 
was  sustained  in  the  two  instances  in  which  challenges  on 
that  ground  had  been  made.  In  the  trial  of  those  challen- 
ges, testimony  had  been  taken  at  great  length,  as  to  the  na- 
tui'e  of  the  masonic  institution,  and  of  the  obligations  im- 
posed upon  its  members.  But  entertaining  doubts  whether 
this  testimony  fell  within  that  description  of  evidence  which 


416  LETTER  XXXVIII. 

the  legislature  seemed  to  have  intended  should  be  reported, 
it  had  been  omitted  by  the  special  counsel.  In  consequence 
of  this  statement,  Mr.  Maynard,  on  the  28th  of  January, 
offered  a  resolution  calling  upon  the  special  counsel  for  a 
full  report  of  all  the  testimony  given  on  the  before  mention- 
ed trial,  on  the  challenges  of  jurors  to  favor,  in  consequence 
of  their  being  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  and  who 
were  pronounced  by  the  triers  not  to  be  indifferent :  and 
also  requiring  him  to  state  the  points  or  questions  of  law, 
decided  or  discussed  on  said  challenges,  or  affecting  the 
question  of  the  indifferency  of  the  said  jurors.  After  some 
further  debate,  an  amendment,  directing  the  judge  who  had 
held  the  court,  to  make  a  report  of  the  case,  instead  of  the 
special  counsel,  prevailed,  and  in  that  shape  the  resolution 
was  adopted. 

Another  Anti-masonic  state  convention  was  held  in  Al- 
bany, commencing  its  sittings  on  the  26th  of  February. 
Its  objects  were  manifold.  About  one  hundred  delegates 
appeared,  notwithstanding  the  inclemency  of  the  season. 
Delegates  to  the  National  Convention,  which  was  to  as- 
semble in  Philadelphia  during  the  ensuing  summer,  were 
appointed,  and  arrangements  made  for  the  holding  of  ano- 
ther State  Convention,  with  immediate  reference  to  the 
next  state  election,  then  nearly  nine  months  distant.  A 
memorial  was  adopted,  and  ordered  to  be  presented  to  the 
Legislature,  praying  for  the  appointment  of  a  committee, 
to  inquire  whether  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  state  of  New- 
York  had  interfered  in  the  administration  of  justice,  or  in 
any  manner  aided,  countenanced,  or  protected  the  viola- 
tions of  our  laws,  or  departed  from  the  objects  of  its  incOij|'^|[ 
poration,  or  perverted  the  purposes  of  its  creation.  As  sT  ' 
reason  for  such  an  investigation,  the  memorial  referred  to 
the  charges  publicly  and  repeatedly  made,  that  money  had 
been  appropriated  from  the  funds  of  the  said  Grand  Chap- 
ter, for  aiding  in  the  escape  of  some  of  the  persons  accused 


LETTER  XXXVIII,  417 

of  participation  in  the  Morgan  outrage,  and  for  the  defence 
and  support  of  others  of  the  conspirators.  This  memorial 
was  presented  on  the  6th  of  March,  and  after  an  ineffectual 
attempt  on  the  part  of  its  friends  to  refer  it  to  a  select  com- 
mittee, empowered  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  it  was 
ordered  to  he  on  the  table.  It  was  called  up,  however,  on 
the  8th  ;  but  its  opponents  adroitly  proposed  so  to  amend, 
as  to  send  the  whole  subject  to  the  Attorney  General,  re- 
quiring that  officer  to  examine  and  report,  whether,  in  his 
opinion,  the  Grand  Chapter  had  misused  its  privileges,  and 
if  so,  requiring  him  to  file  a  quo  warranto  before  the  pro- 
per court,  to  obtain  a  judgment  of  forfeiture.  An  animated 
debate  ensued,  but  the  amendment  prevailed  by  a  vote  of 
75  to  30.  This  movement  was  merely  a  device  to  gei  rid 
of  the  subject  as  quietly  as  possible  ;  and  it  succeeded. 

On  the  16th  of  April,  the  Attorney  General  reported,  that 
an  information  in  the  nature  of  a  quo  warranto  against  a 
corporation,  could  only  be  exhibited  upon  leave  granted  by 
the  Supreme  Court,  or  some  one  of  its  justices ;  and  to  ob- 
tain leave,  either  direct  or  circumstantial  evidence  must  be 
given  of  the  truth  of  the  matter  upon  which  the  informa- 
tion is  founded.  He  had  addressed  a  letter,  on  the  10th  of 
March,  to  Gen.  Bellinger,  President  of  the  Convention, 
whose  name  was  at  the  head  of  the  memorial,  requesting 
him  to  furnish  an  affidavit  of  such  facts  and  circumstances 
as  would  establish  the  truth  of  the  charges  against  the  Grand 
Chapter.  On  the  16th  of  that  month  he  received  a  reply, 
stating,  in  substance,  that  the  writer  knew  nothing  of  the 
facts,  save  what  he  had  derived  from  the  newspapers,  re- 
ports, &c.  He  referred  to  certain  persons,  however,  who 
he  supposed  would  be  able  to  furnish  information.  But  on 
inquiry  of  these,  the  Attorney  General  had  obtained  no  evi- 
dence of  the  truth  of  the  charges.  The  memorialists  had 
not  stated  the  grounds  of  the  charges,  nor  even  averred  that 
they  themselves  believed  them.     The  Attorney  General 

53 


419  LETTER  xxxvin. 

said  he  would  not  advise  whether  mere  hear-say  evidence 
was  sufficient  to  warrant  a  legislative  investigation ;  but 
no  such  proceeding  as  that  contemplated  by  the  resolution, 
could  be  instituted  by  him  in  the  absence  of  legal  proof. 
Nothing  further  was  heard  of  the  subject. 

No  further  legislative  proceedings  took  place  during  that 
session,  excepting  the  renewal,  for  another  year,  of  the  act 
authorising  the  Governor  to  continue  the  services  of  the 
special  counsellor.  But  from  the  tone  of  Mr.  Spencer's 
report,  in  which  he  had  come  directly  to  the  point,  respect- 
ing the  conduct  of  the  western  Masons  on  the  Morgan 
trials,  he  had  given  offence  to  certain  members  not  to  be 
forgiven  ;  and  they  avenged  themselves  by  cutting  his  pay 
down  to  the  beggarly  allowance  of  1000  dollars.  This 
measure  was  little  short  of  a  direct  insult  to  Mr.  Spencer, 
although  it  was  probably  dictated  more  by  party  spirit, 
than  any  other  motive.  This  same  spirit  of  party,  is  the 
vilest  demon  which  walks  to  and  fro  in  our  land.  Its  in- 
terference is  not  confined  to  the  political  relations  of  our 
country,  but  is  too  often  felt  in  our  social,  and  even  religious 
affairs.  In  the  instance  before  us,  the  evidence  was  clear 
as  though  written  in  sun-beams,  that  party  spirit  was  poi^ 
soning  the  sources  of  the  law,  and  the  streams  of  justice. 
The  fact  is  not  to  be  disguised — contradicted  with  truth  it 
cannot  be — that  Anti-masonry  had  become  so  thoroughly 
political ;  its  spirit  was  so  vindictive  towards  the  Freema- 
sons, without  discrimination  as  to  guilt  or  innocence ;  and  it 
was  in  every  respect  so  unyielding,  that,  almost  in  the 
words  of  Mr.  Spencer's  report  itself,  "  its  effect  had  been 
"  to  compel  a  more  strict  and  close  union  among  those  mem- 
"  bars  who  still  adhered  to  the  institution,  and  to  excite  a 
"  sympathy  in  their  favor  among  many  of  their  fellow-citi- 
"  zens ;  and  thus  to  retard  and  obstruct  the  attainment  of 
♦*  its  professed  object."  The  ardor  with  which  the  Anti- 
masons  pressed  their  political  designs,  abated  the  zeal  both 


LETTER    XXXVIII.  41d 

of  the  legislature,  and  the  Executive,  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  investigations.  With  the  return  of  every  election,  as 
the  Anti-masons  gained  strength,  in  a  corresponding  ratio 
did  those  in  power,  who  began  to  tremble  for  their  places, 
become  more  reluctant  in  pushing  forward  the  prosecutions, 
by  reason  of  which  their  new  opponents  were  so  greatly 
profitting.  Indeed,  from  the  very  outset  of  this  controver- 
sy, in  every  legislative  measure  proposed  or  attempted,  it 
was  perfectly  evident  that  the  ruHng  majority  were  secretly 
opposed  to  the  adoption  of  any  extra  efforts  to  bring  the  of- 
fenders to  justice.  Notwithstanding  all  their  pretended 
anxiety  to  have  the  mystery  of  the  fate  of  Morgan -s'olved, 
and  the  delinquents  punished,  there  was  always  a  lurking 
feeling  of  reluctance  visible  in  every  motion  of  the  majo- 
rity, and  in  every  debate.  Not,  perhaps,  that  they  really 
wished  murderers  to  go  unpunished,  but  they  feared,  in  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  the  present  case,  that  in  the  same 
degree  in  which  they  were  aiding  the  ends  of  justice,  they 
were  likewise  assisting  a  political  party  that  might  ere  long 
push  them  from  their  places  of  dignity  and  power.  It  was 
very  natural,  therefore,  that  this  spirit  should  have  been 
'more  observable  during  the  present  session  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, as  had  been  fully  exemplified  in  the  reception  of  the 
special  counsel's  report.  More  than  sixty  thousand  Anti- 
masonic  votes  had  been  polled  at  the  late  election  ;  and  from 
the  preparations  then  making  for  the  next  campaign,  there 
was  little  reason  to  believe,  that  that  number  would  be  at 
all  diminished.  Most  certainly  it  would  not  be,  if,  by  the 
energy,  the  talent,  and  the  perseverance  of  the  special  coun- 
sel, he  should  at  last  succeed  in  unravelling  the  mighty  mys- 
tery, (of  which  result  he  now  began  to  entertain  strong 
hopes,)  should  that  mystery  be  found  to  have  terminated  in 
the  dreadful  tragedy  which  was  now  on  all  hands  believed 
to  have  marked  its  end.  Looking  at  the  matter,  therefore, 
as  'party  politicians,  they  had  no  special  desire  to  produce 


420  LETTER  XXXVIII. 

any  further  disclosures ;  and  from  the  unbending  integrity 
of  the  special  counsel,  and  his  untiring  industry,  it  was  ob- 
vious, that  nothing  on  his  part  would  be  wanting  to  probe 
the  matter  to  the  bottom, — let  the  axe  of  justice  fall  wherever 
it  might.  Such  are  believed  to  have  been  some  of  the  con- 
siderations which  entered  into  the  minds  of  the  legisla- 
ture, when  in  re-enacting  the  law  making  provision  for  the 
employment  of  the  special  counsel  one  year  longer,  they  in- 
serted a  proviso  limiting  his  pay  to  the  sum  of  1 000  dollars. 
Such,  unquestionably,  was  the  opinion  of  the  special  coun- 
sel himself,  founded  not  alone  upon  the  action  of  the  legis- 
lature, as  we  shall  see  presently,  although  at  his  suggestion, 
provision  had  been  made  for  holding  a  special  Court  of 
Oyer  and  Terminer,  early  in  the  then  ensuing  summer,  at 
which  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  to 
preside. 

Immediately  after  the  receipt  of  a  copy  of  the  new  act, 
thus  continuing  his  appointment,  but  limiting  his  compen- 
sation, the  special  counsel  addressed  an  able  communica- 
tion to  his  excellency  the  acting  Governor,  giving  a  histo- 
ry, in  language  of  firm  but  temperate  indignation,  of  the 
treatment  he  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the  government, 
almost  from  the  day  on  which  he  entered  upon  his  duties. 
From  this  document,  in  order  to  give  a  just  view  of  the 
case,  it  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  quote  at  considerable 
length.     The  only  inducements  to  his   acceptance  of  the 
commission,  Mr.  Spencer  said,  had  been  the  hope  of  allay- 
ing the  fears  and  anxieties  which  prevailed  respecting  the 
sufficiency  of  the  laws  to  punish  the  outrage  which  had 
been  committed,  and  the  belief  that  a  faithful  and  thorough 
investigation  would  satisfy  an  alarmed  community,  wheth- 
er it  resulted  in  the  punishment  of  the  guilty  or  not.     In 
the  appointment  of  a  special  agent  to  manage  the  prosecu- 
tions, Mr.  S.  contended  that — 


LETTER  XXXVIII.  421 

"  The  government  became  the  prosecutor,  and  in  that,  as  in  every  other 
executive  function,  it  vi^as  represented  by  the  Governor.  The  special  coun- 
sel was  not  to  be  a  private  prosecutor,  but  the  agent  of  the  Executive.  As 
such,  it  is  most  evident,  he  was  entitled  to  the  aid,  advice,  direction  and 
support  of  the  Executive  and  of  ihe  other  branches  of  the  government.  In 
order  to  exhibit  the  urgent  necessity  of  such  aid  and  support,  it  could  not  be 
necessary  to  refer  to  the  nature  of  the  investigation,  the  large  number  of 
persons  accused,  their  connexion  with  a  powerful  society,  and  their  individ- 
ual influence  :  for,  said^he,  your  excellency  and  the  whole  community  but 
too  well  know  the  magnitude  and  amount  of  the  obstacles  to  be  encountered. 
Whether  the  whole  constitutional  power  of  the  government  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  overcome  them,  was  problematical ;  that  any  thing  short  of  that 
power,  would  fail,  was  certain.  Nothing  but  this  conviction  could  have  jus- 
tified the  law  directing  the  employment  of  a  special  counsel.  Under  that 
conviction,  and  with  full  and  entire  confidence  not  only  in  the  formal  con- 
currence of  the  executive,  but  in  his  sincere  and  hearty  co-operation,  he  en- 
tered upon  the  duties  of  the  employment  to  which  Governor  Van  Buren  in- 
vited him." 

Entering  upon  the  duties  of  the  office  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, he  doubted  not  that  he  was  to  receive  the  sin- 
cere countenance  and  support,  not  only  of  the  Executive, 
from  whom  he  held  his  appointment,  but  from  the  legisla- 
ture which  had  authorized  it.  But  in  this  just  and  reasona- 
ble expectation,  he  had  been  disappointed.     He  said : — ; 

"  Positive  aid,  beyond  the  performance  of  formal  duties  from  which  there 
was  no  escape,  has  in  no  instance  been  rendered  me.  And  instead  of  re- 
ceiving any  countenance  or  support,  I  have  been  sufiered  to  stand  alone,  an 
isolated  individual,  carrying  on  the  most  laborious  and  difficult  prosecutions, 
as  if  they  were  private  suits  instituted  by  me,  and  without  any  participa- 
tion of  the  responsibility  by  the  members  of  that  government  wliich  employ- 
ed me.  Indeed  their  responsibility  has  been  disclaimed  by  every  means 
which  the  circumstances  would  allow. " 

As  evidence  of  the  indisposition  of  the  state  government 
to  strengthen  his  hands  in  pursuing  the  arduous  investiga- 
tions in  which  he  was  engaged,  he  referred  to  the  manner 
in  which  the  suggestions  contained  in  his  annual  report  had 
been  received,  the  debates  in  the  legislature,  to  which  I 


422  '       LETTER  XXXVIII. 

have  alread}^  briefly  referred,  and  to  the  act  limiting  his 
compensation  to  such  an  inadequate  amount.  Upon  this 
latter  point,  however,  he  held  the  following  highly  honor- 
able language : — 

"  I  owe  it  to  myself  to  say  that  the  mmunt  of  the  compensation  would 
not  deter  me  from  continuing  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  if  the  cir- 
cumstances justified,  and  duty  required  that  continuance.  It  is  not  in  that 
view  that  I  regard  the  matter  as  worthy  of  a  moment's  thought;  but  it  is, 
that  the  amount  proposed,  the  manner  of  the  proposition,  and  the  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  made,  furnish  to  my  mind  indisputable  evidence 
of  the  unfavorable  sentiments  entertained  respecting  the  prosecutions  or  the 
agent  conducting  them,  or  both.  The  act  presents  the  singular  paradox  of 
disavowing  as  far  as  possible  the  agency  it  proposes  ro  renew,  and  of  invit- 
ing the  agent  to  proceed,  in  such  repulsive  language  as  to  render  his  accept- 
ance incompatible  with  the  least  self  respect." 

But  the  cause  of  complaint,  in  Mr.  Spencer's  mind,  at 
least,  did  not  terminate  here :  He  prpceeded — 

"1  have  to  complain  also,  that  my  official  communications  to  your  excel- 
lency, have  been  divulged^  so  as  to  defeat  my  measures  and  bring  undeserv- 
ed reproach  upon  me.  Those  communications  related  to  the  means  of  dis- 
covering evidfmce  of  tlie  fact  of  ¥f  illiam  Morgan's  death ;  they  were  not 
only  in  their  nature  strictly  confidential,  but  the  success  of  the  measures 
suggested,  depended  entirely  upon  their  being  unknown  to  the  parties  and 
their  friends.  Yet  they  became  known  to  a  counsel  of  the  persons  impli- 
cated in  the  offences  upon  WiUiam  Morgan.  I  can  not  comment  on  this 
fact,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  do  justice  to  my  feelings,  and  at  the  same  time 
preserve  the  respect  which  is  due  to  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  state.  It 
must  be  left  to  the  consideration  of  all  impartial  men,  with  the  single  re- 
mark, that  as  it  interposes  an  insurmountable  obstacle  to  all  farther  com- 
munications of  a  confidential  character  with  your  excellency,  I  should  thus 
be  deprived  as  special  counsel  of  an  aid  altogethe  r  indispensable  to  further 
proceedings.  That  the  reproach  which  the  revelation  of  that  correspond- 
ence has  brought  upon  me,  is  undeserved,  may  at  least  be  presumed  from 
the  fact  of  your  excellency's  having  continued  my  employment  more  than  a 
year  after  those  communications  were  made  to  you."* 

♦  Mr.  Spencer  has  also  elsewhere  justly  complained,  that — "  during  the 
preceding  winter,  the  senate  of  the  state,  of  whom  a  large  proportion,  if  not 


LETTER   XXXVIII.  423 

Fi'om  these  and  other  circumstances  which  Mr.  S.  enu- 
merated, he  believed  that  his  services  were  no  longer  ac- 
ceptable to  the  Executive,  and  the  dominant  party  by  whom 
he  was  supported,  and  a  sense  of  self-respect  would  not 
allow  him  to  retain  the  situation.  He  believed,  moreover, 
that,  left  as  he  was,  without  the  aid  of  the  executive  arm, 
the  prosecutions,  in  his  hands,  would  lead  to  no  successful 
results, — while,  possibly,  some  other  agent,  more  in  favor 
with  the  government,  might  better  succeed  in  the  vindica- 
cation  of  the  laws.  Prompted  by  these  considerations,  Mr. 
Spencer  resigned  his  trust  as  special  commissioner, — with 
the  assurance,  that,  in  handing  over  his  papers  to  his  suc- 
cessor, all  possible  assistance  would  be  cheerfully  rendered, 
to  aid  in  the  further  prosecution  of  the  investigations — sev- 
eral trials  being  then  in  a  state  of  forward  preparation. 

The  publication  of  this  extraordinary  letter  of  resigna- 
tion, produced  a  great  sensation  in  the  public  mind.  The 
charges  against  the  Executive,  were  of  a  very  grave  char- 
acter, and  they  were  preferred  with  too  much  explicitness, 
to  be  evaded.  They  were  accordingly  answered,  semi-of- 
ficially,  through  the  medium  of  the  state  paper.  The  charge 
of  having  betrayed  the  confidential  correspondence  of  the 
special  counsel,  so  as  to  enable  the  counsel  of  the  delin- 
quents to  profit  by  the  knowledge  they  possessed  of  the 


a  majority,  wore  masons,  had  passed  a  resolution  calling  on  the  comptroller 
for  a  detailed  account  of  all  the  expenses  incurred  by  the  special  counsel, 
with  all  the  vouchers  for  the  items.  The  accounts  and  vouchers  were  ac- 
cordingly furnished  and  published,  and  thus  disclosed  to  the  world  and  the 
accuseci,  the  name  of  every  witness  who  had  been  examined  on  the  finding 
of  the  several  indictments,  and  who  was  relied  upon  to  sustain  them.  Eve- 
ry facility  was  thus  given  to  the  operation  of  the  causes  that  had  so  often 
prevented  witnesses  from  being  found  when  they  were  wanted  ;  and,  when 
found,  had  prevented  their  attendance  ;  or,  if  they  attended,  had  produced 
short  and  imperfect  nlemories.  The  eiforts  of  an  officer  of  the  government 
were  thus  repudiated  by  the  government  itself;  something  worse  than  in- 
difference was  exhibited  at  the  success  of  his  exertions  ;  and,  instead  of  be- 
ing sustained  by  the  countenance  of  the  govei-nment,  he  was  left  to  contend 
against  the  large  body  of  indicted  individuals,  and  against  the  whole  ma- 
chinery of  raasoiiic  combination,  including  the  libels  of  the  press,  singly 
and  unaided." 


424  LETTER  XXXVIII. 

measures  taking  by  the  prosecution  to  bring  them  to  justice, 
was  flatly  contradicted  on  behalf  of  the  acting  Governor. 
Several  publications  were  made,  pro  and  con.,  and  among 
them  was  a  statement,  under  the  hands  of  the  counsel  of 
the  conspirators,  declaring  that  neither  of  them,  had 
ever  received  any  information  of  the  description  referred 
to,  from  the  Governor,  or  any  person  connected  with  the 
Executive.  The  information  alledged  to  have  been  receiv- 
ed in  consequence  of  a  betrayal  of  confidence  by  the  act- 
ing Governor,  was  likewise  certified  by  one  of  the  defend- 
ant's counsel  to  have  been  imparted  to  him  by  none  other 
than  his  own  client.  Two  other  documents  were  also  dis- 
closed, in  a  long  and  labored  defence  of  the  acting  Governor, 
viz : — A  letter  from  the  special  counsel,  of  the  29th  of 
March,  1830,  to  the  acting  Governor,  with  the  reply  there- 
to of  the  latter,  dated  the  6th  of  April.  The  special  coun- 
sel's letter  here  referred  to,  embraced  many  suggestions 
respecting  the  duties  devolving  on  the  writer  as  special 
counsel,  the  expenses  necessarily  incurred,  &c.  &c.,  upon 
which  the  advice  of  the  Executive  was  desired.  He  also 
dwelt  briefly  upon  the  difficulties  wich  still  encompassed 
his  path  in  the  prosecutions.  These  were  represented  to 
be  of  the  most  formidable  nature,  and  were  thus  enumerated 
by  himself,  viz  : — 

*'  1st.  From  the  difficulty  of  discovering  witnesses.  2d.  From  the  fow 
and  slight  means  afforded  by  law  to  compel  their  attendance.  3d.  From 
their  reluctance  and  refusal  to  testify.  And  4th.  From  the  unceasing  and 
untiring  exertions  of  the  Masons  in  the  places  where  I  have  been,  to  thwart 
every  effort,  by  getting  witnesses  out  of  the  way,  and  by  every  other  device 
to  which  human  ingenuity  can  resort.  I  am  sorry,  (he  adds,)  to  be  compel- 
led to  give  this  account  of  the  conduct  of  Masons.  There  are  some  honor- 
able exceptions  ;  but  they  are  few." 

But  the  prominent  object  of  this  letter,  was  to  state  to  the 
Executive  the  important  fact,  that  the  special  counsel  had 
it  at  length  in  his  power,  as  he  believed,  at  once  to  bring  the 


LETTER  XXXVIII.  425 

investigations  to  a  successful  close  ; — to  accomplish  which 
most  desirable  object,  however,  it  would  be  necessary  for 
him  to  have  the  disposition  of  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dol- 
lars, which  had  been  offered  as  a  reward  for  the  discovery 
of  the  criminals,  by  the  late  Governor  Clinton,  and  w^hich 
proclamation  was  yet  in  full  force  and  virtue.  Liberty  to 
apply  that  sum  of  money,  and  also  an  assurance  of  pardon 
to  the  witness  to  be  used,  were  accordingly  requested.  But 
I  will  quote  from  the  letter  itself : — 

"In^prosecuting  my  inquiries  concerning  the  fate  of  William  Morgan, 
there  appears  a  witness  of  the  utmost  importance,  vsho,  I  am  persuaded, 
can  disclose  all  the  facts  and  circumstances  of  Morgan's  death.  His  name 
is  Elisha  Adams,  and  he  is  now  indicted  as  an  actor  in  the  abduction  of  Mor- 
gan. He  has  hitherto  refused  to  disclose.  Without  his  testimony,  we 
shall  never  be  able  to  establish,  judicially,  the  fact  of  Morgan's  death.  I  have 
prevailed  upon  an  old  and  intimate  friend  of  his,  in  whom  he  has  the  utmost 
confidence,  residing  at  Sacket's  Harbor,  to  visit  A.,  who  is  now  at  Youngs- 
town,  surrounded  by  Masons,  and  to  endeavor  to  prevail  on  him  to  tell  tho 
whole  truth.  To  accomplish  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  offer  strong  induce- 
ments. I  propose  therefore  to  apprise  him,  that  a  nolle  prosequi  will  be  en- 
tered on  his  indictment,  that  he  will  receive  a  pardon,  and  the  reward  offer- 
ed in  the  proclamation  of  Governor  Clinton,  of  March  19th,  1827.  But  I 
should  not  feel  authorised  to  do  so  without  the  instruction  of  your  excellency 
to  that  effect  ;  and  I  presume  it  will  be  indispensable  that  I  should  be  able 
to  produce  written  evidence  of  your  directions.  I  therefore  respectfully  soli- 
cit your  instructions  on  this  head." 

This  application,  just  and  proper  in  itself,  and  usual  in 
the  administration  of  the  criminal  law  of  England  and  Ame- 
rica, was  coldly  and  cavalierly  refused  ;  and  it  was  this  re- 
fusal, that  formed  the  basis  of  the  charge  of  the  late  special 
counsel,  of  a  want  of  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive. It  is  proper,  however,  that  the  acting  Governor 
should  be  allowed  to  speak  for  himself ;  and  I  will  therefore 
quote  all  that  part  of  his  letter  referring  to  the  point  at 
issue  : — 

54 


426  LETTER  XXXVIII. 

*'  1  understand  that  you  consider  the  testimony  of  Elisha  Adams  indispen- 
sable to  prove  Morgan's  death  ;  that  he  stands  indicted  for  his  abduction  ; 
and  that  you  propose  as  inducements  to  him  to  testify,  that  a  nolle  prose- 
qui shall  be  entered  on  his  indictment,  that  he  shall  be  pardoned,  and  that 
he  shall  receive  the  reward  of  }^2000,  promised  by  Governor  Clinton's  pro-!, 
clamation.  You  ask  my  assent  to  this  course.  However  desirable  I  may 
consider  it  to  bring  to  punishment  the  murderers  of  Morgan,  I  cannot  give 
my  assent  to  a  measure  which  would  have  so  strong  a  tendency  to  induce  a 
man,  who  now  presents  to  the  public  unfavorable  points  of  character,  to 
commit  perjuiy.  If  it  were  in  my  power,  and  you  thought  it  advisable,  I 
would  pardon  him,  so  as  to  take  from  him  the  power  of  refusing  to  answer 
under  the  pretence  of  criminating  himself ;  but  the  5th  sec.  of  art.  3  of  the 
constitution,  which  confers  on  the  Governor  the  power  of  pardon,  limits  it  to 
cases  *  after  conviction.'  The  most  that  can  be  done  to  reach  this  evidence, 
is  to  exercise  the  common  law  power  of  favoritism  to  the  accomplice  who 
gives  material  testimony,  and  so  far  as  my  assent  maybe  necessary  and  pro- 
per, it  shall  not  be  withheld.  But  that  the  accused  may  not  be  deprived  of 
his  legal  rights,  it  is  proper  that  every  inducement  to  testify,  which  may  be 
thus  held  out,  should  be  made  public,  that  the  jury  may  judge  of  the  bias 
under  which  he  gives  evidence.'* 

Of  most  of  the  acts  of  Gov.  Throop,  in  regard  to  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  criminal  law,  so  far  as  the  executive  ac- 
tion has  been  required,  I  have  had  occasion  to  express  my 
decided  approbation.  Several  cases  are  fresh  in  my  mind, 
in  which  his  excellency  has  been  exceedingly  pressed  for 
pardons,  or  commutations  of  punishment ;  and  the  course 
he  has  taken  on  such  occasions,  with  the  opinions  given, 
have  been  such  as  to  gain  him  credit  both  for  his  legal  tal- 
ents, and  his  firmness.  But  in  the  case  under  consideration, 
I  am  confident  that  every  criminal  lawyer  in  the  land,  whose 
judgment  is  unwarped  by  party  feeling,  would,  without  the 
smallest  hesitation,  declare  him  clearly  in  the  wrong.  The 
request,  under  the  circumstances,  was  perfectly  reasonable 
and  proper.  The  contingency  had  occurred  which  was 
contemplated  by  Gov.  Clinton,  when  the  reward  was  offer- 
ed ;  and  had  that  distinguished  jurist, — for  he  was  alike  a 
lawyer  and  a  statesman, — yet  lived,  it  would  have  beer^ 


4 


LETTER  XXXVIII.  427 


promptly  paid.  The  proclamation  had  not  been  revoked 
by  either  of  the  administrators  of  the  government  since  his 
decease  ;  and  it  was  therefore  as  much  in  force,  as  on  the 
day  after  the  seal  had  been  affixed  to  it.  The  suggestion 
on  the  score  of  encouragement  to  bribery,  made  by  the 
Governor,  and  subsequently  used  as  the  burden  of  his  de- 
fence by  all  the  "  arranged"  presses  in  the  state,  was  a  mere 
pretext, — an  attempt  to  frame  a  plausible  and  popular  ex- 
cuse for  an  act  calculated  at  once  to  disappoint  the  expec- 
tations, and  cool  the  ardor,  of  the  public  prosecutor,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  it  would  most  likely  have  the  still  further 
effect  of  preventing  those  full  disclosures,  so  anxiously 
sought  by  the  public.  You  may  call  it  bribery,  if  you  please ; 
but  it  would  have  been  no  farther  a  bribe,  save  only  in 
amount,  than  is  authorised  by  the  criminal  law  of  England, 
and  every  state  in  this  Union,  in  all  cases  where  the  ad- 
ministrators of  the  law  believe  that  the  cause  of  justice  can 
be  furthered,  and  the  pubhc  interests  benefitted,  by  the  em- 
ployment of  states'  evidences  who  have  been  participators, 
directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  crimes  sought  to  be  disclosed 
and  punished.  Every  states'  evidence  who  receives  from 
the  counsel  for  the  prosecution,  an  assurance  of  pardon,  on 
condition  of  testifying  against  his  accomplices  in  guilt,  may 
be  said  in  the  same  sense  to  be  bribed.  And  yet  it  is  the 
every  day  practice  in  our  criminal  courts  to  employ  such 
testimony,  of  which  fact  no  man  is  better  aware  than  Gov. 
Throop.  He  has  been  on  the  bench  ;  and  if,  at  Canandai- 
gua,  Loton  Lawson  had  come  forward  as  a  states'  evidence, 
with  a  promise  of  making  a  full  disclosure,  I  have  no  doubt 
that  the  Judge's  approbation  of"  the  blessed  spirit,"  would 
then  have  prompted  the  measure.  I  regret  being  obliged 
thus  to  speak  of  this  act  of  our  generally  correct  and  esti- 
mable chief  magistrate  ;  but  I  feel  that  my  censures  are 
just,  and  I  do  not  wonder  at  the  disappointment  and  chagrin 


428  LETTER  XXXIX. 

of  the  special  counsel,  on  receiving  such  an  unlooked  for 
and  abrupt  refusal. 

The  charge  of  the  special  counsel,  that  the  Executive 
had  betrayed  the  contents  of  his  confidential  letters  to  the 
counsel  of  the  conspirators,  was  not  well  founded.  I  have 
no  idea  that  Gov.  Throop  knowingly  did  any  such  thing.  I 
have  heard  a  suggestion,  however,  which,  if  correct,  would 
account  for  the  incident  that  induced  Mr.  Spencer  to  sup- 
pose he  had  been  thus  trifled  with,  without  compromising  the 
conduct  of  the  Executive.  In  these  high  criminal  matters, 
as  in  all  other  state  aflairs,  it  was  probably  the  practice  of 
Gov.  T., — certainly  it  ought  to  have  been, — to  call  in  the 
advice  of  those  official  gentlemen  by  whom  he  is  surround- 
ed, and  who  are  his  friends.  One  of  his  cabinet  counsellors 
had  recently  been  a  partner  in  business  with  a  western 
gentleman,  who  was  at  that  period  a  member  of  the  legis- 
lature. And  that  former  partner,  and  member  of  the  legis- 
lature, was  so  unfortunate  as  to  have  a  brother  among  the 
parties  under  indictment  for  the  conspiracy.  Does  not  this 
fact  render  the  matter  of  easy  solution  ? 

I  am,  sir,  with  respect,  (fee. 


LETTER    XXXIX. 

New- York,  March  21,  1832. 
Sir, 

I  have  heretofore  mentioned  some  instances,  and  hint- 
ed at  others,  in  which  efforts  have  been  made,  from  time  to 
time,  by  the  political  leaders  of  the  Anti-masonic  party,  to 
prolong  the  excitement  by  artificial  means,  and  to  rekindle 
the  dying  embers  with  additional  fuel,  as  occasion  might 
require.     It  is  now  proper  to  advert,  in  chronological  or- 


LETTER  XXXIX.  429 

der,  to  another,  and  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  those 
attempts.  This  was  the  publication  in  all  the  Anti-mason- 
ic papers  in  this  state,  of  an  affidavit  made  at  Boston  be- 
fore John  W.  Quincy,  Esq.,  by  Samuel  G.  Anderton,  rela- 
tive to  an  alledged  murder  by  Freemasons,  of  one  William 
Miller,  at  Belfast,  in  Ireland. 

The  affidavit  states,  that  in  the  spring  of  1813,  the  depo- 
nent revisited  Belfast,  (having  been  there  before,  and  be- 
come acquainted  with  Wm.  Miller  and  other  Masons,)  and 
was  induced  to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  higher 
degrees  of  Masonry.  On  th(5  evening  of  the  4th  of  June 
of  that  year,  he  went  to  the  lodge  room.  "  The  whole 
"  number  of  Masons  there  of  all  degrees,  was  seventy-one, 
"  or  seventy-two.  That  night  I  took  the  degrees  of  Arch, 
"  Royal  Arch  and  Knight  Templar."  Anderton  proceeds  to 
say  that  during  the  same  evening,  and  soon  after  he  was  dub- 
bed a  Knight  Templar,  he  was  told  that  a  Mason  would  be 
there  who  had  violated  his  obligations,  by  saying  that  Ja- 
chin  and  Boaz  was  a  true  hook ;  that  he  had  broken  his 
oaths ;  was  a  damned  perjured  wretch ;  had  forfeited  his 
life ;  and  ought  not  to  live  any  longer  among  men  or 
Masons. 

He  (the  deponent)  wished  to  leave  the  room,  but  was 
told  that  "  it  was  never  allowed  on  such  occasions."  They 
were  then  ordered  to  cast  lots  to  see  who  should  officiate 
as  executioners,  and  the  lots  fell  (he  thinks  unfairly,)  upon 
three  foreigners,  viz,  a  Swede,  a  Dane  and  himself.  The 
Swede  and  Dane  were  strong,  athletic  men, — masters  of 
vessels, — and  strangers  to  the  deponent,  who  was  struck 
with  indescribable  horror  and  astonishment,  beyond  any 
exigency  to  which  he  had  been  previously  reduced. 
"  Amidst  all  my  other  dangers,"  says  he,  "  I  felt  that  I  was 
"  doing  my  duty  ;  but  this  I  concluded  would  be  murder  in 
"  cold  blood." 


430  LETTER  XXXIX. 

The  narrator  had  been  told  in  the  course  of  the  day  by 
Miller,  that  he  (Miller,)  was  to  be  made  a  Knight  Temp- 
lar that  evening /ree  of  expense;  and  he  (Anderton,)  now 
learned  that  Miller  was  the  individual  about  to  suffer  death, 
and  for  whose  murder  he  had  been  specially  designated. 
^*  I  told  them,  (says  Anderton,)  I  could  not  do  it.  I  begged 
*'  and  entreated ;  told  them  I  had  as  lief  have  my  own 
"  throat  cut  as  commit  such  an  act.  My  feelings  were  so 
"  distressed,  and  I  expressed  myself  in  such  a  manner,  that 
"  after  some  time  I  was  excused.  The  Swede  and  Dane, 
"  according  to  my  best  remembrance,  did  not  object.  Sev- 
"  eral  others  said  '  they  would  help  to  execute  any  one  who 
"  broke  his  obligations ;  that  every  Mason  ought  to  help 
"  to  do  it,'  or  words  to  that  effect."  "  They  had  a  canvass 
"  cloth  cap,  or  bag,  to  put  over  his  head,  and  to  come  down 
"  a  little  below  the  chin,  rigged  with  small  ropes  or  strong 
"  cords,  fixed  in  the  lower  part  of  it,  so  as  to  slip  easily, 
"  that  when  the  cap  was  on,  and  the  cords  drawn  each 
"  way,  right  and  left,  the  cap  would  be  gathered  tight  un- 
"  der  the  chin  so  as  to  shut  his  mouth,  and  at  the  same  time 
"  draw  so  close  round  his  neck  and  throat  as  to  strangle 
"  him." — "  It  was  now  the  black  hour  of  midnight.  The 
"  executioners  took  their  stations  a  little  to  the  left  of  the 
"  high  priest."  Miller  having  doubtless  been  decoyed  by 
the  promise  of  being  made  a  Knight  Templar  free  of  ex- 
pense, was  then  conducted  into  the  room,  hoodwinked,  with 
his  coat  off,  somewhat  in  the  condition  that  candidates  usu- 
ally are.  "  He  was  led  along  slowly  from  the  west  up 
>♦  near  his  executioners,  when  some  one  said,  '  Who  comes 
"  there  V  *  who  comes  there  V  The  answer  was  bawled  out 
"  as  they  siezed  him,  *  a  damned  traitor  ;  one  who  has  brok- 
♦'  en  his  masonic  obligations.'  With  that  he  exclaimed,  *  O 
^*  my  God  !  are  you  going  to  murder  me?  O  my  wife  !  O 
"  my  children  !'     The  agony,  the  strong  struggle,  and  the 


LETTER  XXXIX.  431 

"  half  utterance  of  these  words,  and  the  final  shriek,  as  the 
"  cap  went  over  his  head  and  face,  pierced  me  to  the  heart, 
"and  was  enough  as  I  should  think,  to  soften  the  hearts  of 
"  savages,  if  they  had  not  taken  masonic  oaths." 

"  Those  horrid  sounds  of  the  tortured  victim  seem  still  to  ring  in  mine 
ears.  No  sooner  was  the  murderous  cap  drawn  over  his  face,  and  his  whole 
head  enveloped,  than,  at  the  same  instant,  the  Swede  and  Dane  appeared 
to  spring  with  all  their  might  and  strength,  drawing  each  in  opposite  direc- 
tions, by  ropes  or  cords  around  his  neck ! !  Poor  Miller,  after  the  most 
frantic  struggles,  like  a  person  in  a  fit,  then  settled  down  to  the  floor  in  the 
most  dreadful  convulsions.  Other  Masons  fell  on  him,  while  the  Swede 
and  Dane,  bracing  their  feet  against  his  body,  still  pulled  by  the  cords !  there 
while  struggling  on  the  floor,  they  cut  his  throat !  and  then  cut  his  left  breast 
and  side  open,  so  as  to  show  his  heart !  !  Some,  very  few.  Masons  present, 
seemed,  by  their  looks,  to  express  some  sympathy  and  compassion,  while 
the  rest,  using  the  most  profane,  revengeful  language,  with  their  fists 
clenched,  grinned  with  horrid  approbation  !  The  body  was  then  carried 
down  stairs,  while  several  Masons  kept  watch  for  fear  of  detection,  and  was 
thrown  over  into  Limekiln  Dock !  !  1  got  away  from  this  scene  of  masonic 
murder  as  soon  as  possible,  with  the  most  awful  impressions.  Before  I  left 
Belfast,  I  heard  by  common  report,  that  the  body  was  taken  up  the  next 
day,  and  that  a  coroner's  inquest  decided  that  WiUiam  Millier  was  murdered 
by  persons  unkaown — or  something  to  that  effect." 

Such  is  the  relation  of  Samuel  G.  Anderton,  and  it  is  not 
to  be  denied  that  the  publication  of  this  tragical  story  made 
for  a  time  a  deep  impression  upon  the  public  mind.  The 
minuteness  of  its  details,  and  the  general  air  of  probability 
thrown  over  it,  was  calculated  to  make  such  an  impression. 
I  felt  it  myself,  and  held  repeated  conversations  with  some, 
of  my  friends  who  were  Masons,  and  who  were  equally  as- 
tounded with  myself.  So  important  did  I  consider  it,  that 
I  resolved  if  possible  to  institute  an  investigation  of  its  truth 
or  falsity.  An  American  gentleman, — -a  Royal  Arch 
Mason,  with  whom  I  am  intimately  acquainted, — who 
had  been  much  in  Ireland  of  late,  undertook  the  investiga- 
tion.    He  was  well  acquainted  with  a  gentleman  in  Bel- 


432  LETTER  XXXIX* 

fast,  a  man  of  intelligence  and  undoubted  integrity,  who 
was  not  a  Mason ;  and  it  was  deemed  proper  to  seek 
through  him  the  requisite  information. 

The  act  alledged  by  Anderton  to  have  taken  place  at  Bel- 
fast, was  even  more  atrocious  than  the  murder  of  Morgan. 
It  was  more  barbarous  in  its  character,  and  perpetrated 
officially,  by  a  lodge,  instead  of  being  the  act  of  infatuated 
individuals.  Assuming  this  fearful  aspect,  both  myself  and 
my  friend  determined  that  if  the  investigation  did  not  re- 
sult in  the  refutation  of  Andertons  statement,  we  would 
publicly  renounce  Freemasonry. 

Pursuant  to  this  arrangement,  a  letter  was  addressed  on 
the  15th  of  May,  1830,  to  Mr.  Edward  Tucker,  of  Belfast, 
requesting  full  and  accurate  information  on  the  subject.  A 
copy  of  Anderton's  affidavit,  was  inclosed,  together  with  a 
copy  of  the  affidavit  of  Agnes  Bell,  and  a  copy  of  the  re- 
port of  a  committee  in  Boston, — the  two  latter,  however, 
principally  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  inquiry.  The  re- 
ply was  not  received  until  the  15th  of  October  of  the  same 
year ;  but  it  proved  most  conclusively  that  the  whole  story 
was  a  gross  fabrication. 

"  If  such  an  occurrence,  says  Mr.  Tucker,  had  taken  place,  it  is  incredi- 
ble, that  in  a  town  like  this,  where  fAree  newspapers  were  published,  so  ex- 
traordinary a  circumstance  as  the  discovery  of  a  man's  body  in  the  dock, 
with  his  throat  and  side  cut  open,  should  escape  notice.  Now,  all  the  papers 
of  that  period  have  been  minutely  examined,  and  not  the  slightest  allusion 
to  such  an  event  can  be  met  with.  In  the  *  Commercial  Chronicle'  of  7th 
or  8th  of  June,  1813,  which  I  examined,  there  is  a  paragraph  headed  *  ano- 
ther murder,'  but  it  is  in  relation  to  an  old  woman  in  Scotland,  and  has  refer- 
ence to  some  shocking  murders  lately  perpetrated  in  London.  The  time  is 
not  very  remote,  and  yet  no  one  can  be  found  in  this  place  who  recollects 
any  such  tragical  death,  or  its  attendant  rumors." 

The  story  of  Anderton  had  found  its  way  to  Ireland  be- 
fore my  friend's  communication  had  arrived  there  ;-— an  ex- 
amination had  been  instituted ;  and  in  relation  to  it,  the 


LETTER  XXXIX.  433 

Guardian,  one  of  the  most  respectable  newspapers  in  that 
kingdom,  remarks  under  the  editorial  head  as  follows : — 

"  We  have  made  inquiry  respecting  this  calumnious  story,  and  find  that 
it  is  a  tissue  of  falsehood  from  beginning  to  end.  No  such  person  as  Wil- 
liam Miller  was  ever  admitted  into  any  lodge  in  this  town ;  and  Mr.  Allan, 
the  coroner,  declares  that  he  has  examined  his  books,  or  registry,  from  a 
period  prior  to  the  year  1813,  down  to  the  present  time,  and  that  no  inquest 
was  held  on  the  body  of  any  individual  of  that  name  ;  and  that  if  any  re- 
port of  such  a  murder  had  been  current  in  Belfast,  he  must  have  heard  it." 

But  the  refutation  was  not  left  to  stand  upon  mere  asser- 
tion, however  conclusive  in  its  terms,  or  however  respecta- 
ble the  affirmant.  It  was  sustained  by  testimony  under 
oath,  of  which  the  following  by  the  coroner  would  seem  to 
be  irresistible : — 

"  The  voluntary  deposition  of  Henry  Allan,  of  Belfast,  in  the  county  of 
Antrim,  in  that  part  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
called  Ireland,  Esq.,  who,  being  duly  sworn  on  the  Holy  Evangehsts,  upon 
his  oath,  saith,  that  he  was  appointed  a  coroner  for  said  county  in  March, 
1813,  and  hath  regularly  resided  in  Belfast  since  that  period,  and  been  the 
only  coroner  resident  therein  ;  and  saith,  he  has  carefully  examined  his  re- 
gister of  inquests,  and  that  he  never  did  hold  an  inquest  on  any  person  of  the 
name  of  Wilham  Miller,  nor  did  he  ever  hear  of  a  person  of  that  name  hav- 
ing been  found  dead  in  Belfast,  or  of  an  inquest  having  been  held  on  any  per- 
son of  that  name  ;  and  deponent  hath  presided  at  every  inquest  held  in  Bel- 
fast since  he  was  appointed  coroner,  except  one,  on  the  bodies  of  two  men, 
named  Grimes  and  Menary,  who  were  shot  in  a  riot  in  North-street,  Bel- 
fast, on  the  12th  of  July,  1S13." 

The  secretary  of  the  lodge  in  which  Anderton  lays  the 
scene  of  his  tragedy,  also  made  affidavit  that  there  was  no 
man  either  of  the  name  of  Anderton,  or  Miller,  admitted 
into  the  lodge  during  the  time  of  his  secretaryship,  which 
embraced  the  whole  period  between  1811  and  1814.  Eight 
other  persons,  members  of  the  lodge,  testified  under  oath — 

"  That  they  respectively  never  knew  a  person  of  the  name  of  Wm.  Millei* 
as  a  member  of  that  lodge,  nor  does  any  of  them  ever  recollect  a  person  of 

55 


434  LETTER  XXXIX. 

that  name  having  been  a  visiter  m  that  lodge;  and  deponents  say,  that  they 
never  knew  any  person  of  the  name  <of  Samuel  G.  Anderton  to  have  been 
admitted  as  a  Mason  in  that  lodge,  or  as  a  visiter  in  it,  nor  did  they  ever  know 
a  person  of  the  name  of  Anderton  either  as  a  mason  or  otherwise.^''  And  tlie 
deponents  further  **  severally  swear  that  the  statements  made  in  said  affida- 
vit respecting  the  said  Samuel  G.  Anderton,  having  been  admitted  a  mem- 
ber of  said  lodge,  number  272,  and  respecting  the  murder  of  a  person  named 
William  Miller  in  that  lodge,  are  in  all  respects,  and  in  every  particular, 
gross,  infamous,  and  unfounded  falsehoods,  as  far  as  these  deponents  are 
concerned,  and  as  far  as  these  deponents  know,  or  have  heard,  no  such 
transactions  having  ever  taken  place." 

These  depositions  were  sworn  to  at  Belfast  on  the  31st 
May,  1830,  before  C.  M.  Skinner,  police  magistrate  for 
Belfast,  and  Henderson  Black  and  Robert  Thompson,  Esqs., 
justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Antrim,  and  seem 
in  connexion  with  the  representations  of  Mr.  Tucker,  and  of 
the  editor  of  the  Belfast  Guardian,  to  form  a  refutation  of 
Anderton's  story,  as  conclusive  as  can  be  established  by  hu- 
man testimony. 

It  has  indeed  been  asked  what  adequate  motive  could 
have  operated  upon  the  mind  of  Anderton  to  induce  him  to 
forswear  himself?  To  this  it  may  be  answered,  that  it  is  not 
easy  at  any  time  to  assign  an  adequate  motive  for  the  vio- 
olation  of  truth  ; — and  yet  it  is  notorious  that  it  is  violated 
from  time  to  time,  with  and  without  the  sanction  of  an  oath, 
and  that  too  very  often,  with  very  small  temptation.  Pecu- 
niary interest,  and  personal  vanity,  arising  from  the  gratifi- 
cation of  becoming  distinguished,  are  perhaps  the  most 
common  causes, — and  although  we  are  not  aware  that  the 
former  could  have  operated  in  the  present  instance,  yet  it  is 
easy  to  conceive  that  the  latter  might ;  and  that  it  would 
possess  additional  inducement  at  a  time  of  public  excite- 
ment. 

But  it  has  also  been  suggested  in  relation  to  Anderton, 
how  could  he  have  invented,  by  the  mere  force  of  imn^ina- 


LETTER  XXXIX.  485 

tion,  a  scene  so  minute  in  its  details,  and  so  vivid  in  its  dra- 
matic effect,  unless  it  was  founded  in  truth  ? 

Really  I  do  not  perceive  in  this  narrative  a  greater  min- 
uteness or  accuracy  of  detail,  nor  a  more  vivid  creation  of 
fancy,  than  is  often  found  in  ordinary  works  of  fiction,  or 
even  in  nursery  tales.  No  man,  in  relating  a  murder  of 
which  he  assumes  to  have  been  a  witness,  (whether  true  or 
false,)  would  forbear  to  state  the  particulars  in  minute  de- 
tail, if  he  expected  to  be  believed, — for  the  whole  scene, 
and  each  particular,  of  such  an  awful  occurrence,  must  be 
presumed  to  have  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind. 
The  relator,  therefore,  would  naturally  be  ready  to  meet 
such  expectation  ;  and  after  the  outlines  of  the  piece  have 
been  struck  out,  it  can  require  no  very  deep  reach  of  the 
imagination  to  fill  up  the  shades  and  coloring  of  the  picture. 
But  there  are  points  and  errors  in  this  representation  which 
show  that  it  was  not  drawn  by  the  hand  of  a  master. 

In  addition  to  the  extraneous  evidence  of  its  falsity,  there 
are  internal  proofs  of  its  want  of  accuracy  and  truth. 

Sixteen  years  had  elapsed  between  the  alledged  occur- 
rence, and  the  date  of  the  affidavit ;  and  yet  Anderton  not 
only  swears  to  the  year,  and  the  month,  and  the  day  of  the 
month,  on  which  the  murder  took  place,  but  he  also  avers 
that  the  number  of  Masons  present  was  seventy-one,  or  se- 
venty-two !  Now  had  he  been  a  teller,  instead  of  a  visiting 
brother,  it  is  hardly  to  be  credited  that  he  could  have  arriv- 
ed at  such  extreme  accuracy  among  a  floating  body.  What 
inducement  was  there  for  him  to  count  the  number  ? — -or  if 
he  did,  how  unusual  it  is  that  it  should  be  treasured  up  for 
such  a  series  of  years  !  I  appeal  for  the  test  of  its  proba- 
bility to  the  experience  of  every  man  who  has  been  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  a  promiscuous  assembly,  of  whatever  cha- 
racter. The  very  next  sentence  contains  a  falsehood.  He 
says,  that  on  the  night  of  the  murder,  he,  the  deponent,  took 
the  degrees  of  Arch,  Royal  Arch,  and  Knight  Templar. 


456  LETTER  XXXIX. 

Now  it  is  susceptible  of  the  most  undoubted  proof  that  there 
exists  neither  in  this  country,  nor  in  Ireland,  the  degree  of 
Arch  as  contradistinguished  from  the  Royal  Arch,  and  yet 
he  asserts,  as  clearly  as  language  can  convey  a  meaning, 
that  he  took  three  degrees  the  same  night,  of  which  two  only 
have  ever  had  existence !  Another  part  of  the  story  is,  to 
say  the  least  of  it,  very  singular.  The  murder  was  per- 
petrated, it  would  seem,  in  an  encampment  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars, and  the  offence  was  an  averment  by  Miller  that  Ja- 
chin  and  Boaz,  a  book  that  does  not  profess  to  reveal  the 
secrets  of  the  Knight  Templar's  degree,  was  true.  Human 
experience  does  not  often  record  the  perpetration  of  gratui- 
tous murders ;  yet  here  is  an  accusation  of  the  spilling  of 
blood  by  one  set  of  men,  in  revenge  for  the  wrongs  inflict- 
ed upon  another ! 

Without  dwelling,  however,  upon  the  inaccuracy  of  stat- 
ing that  a  highpriest  presided  over  a  Knight  Templar's  en- 
campment, and  various  other  inconsistencies,  there  is  one 
general  and  entire  objection  to  its  probability,  which  must, 
I  think,  fully  confirm  the  direct  refutation  that  has  been  pre- 
sented in  contradiction  to  the  story. 

This  barbarous  murder  is  alledged  to  have  been  perpe- 
trated, not  like  the  supposed  destruction  of  Morgan,  in  the 
lone,  dark  border  of  a  secluded  frontier,  but  in  the  midst  of 
a  populous  city : — no  conclave  arrangements  had  excluded 
from  witness  or  participation  those  who  might  betray  the 
horrid  secret ; — on  the  contrary,  the  doors  of  the  lodge- 
room  or  encampment,  were  open  not  only  to  those  who  had 
plotted  the  guilt,  but  to  visiting  brethren  and  strangers ! 

Nor  is  this  all.    The  strangets  are  made  the  executioners 

a  Dane — a  Swede — an  American — all  foreigners,  are  to  ' 
perpetrate  this  foul  deed,  at  the  mere  instance  and  request 
of  their   Belfast  brethren !     The  Dane,  and  the  Swede, 
made  no  objection ;  but  he,  Anderton,  was  "  so  distressed," 
that  they  excused  him ! !— Would  men  so  deep  in  guilt, 


LETTER  XXXIX.  437 

when  they  found  a  comrade  so  faint-hearted,  have  excused 
him — or  would  they  not  have  plunged  a  dagger  in  his  bo- 
som to  prevent  his  dangerous  tales  ?  And  is  it  credible  that 
Swedes  and  Danes,  rarely  visiting  the  port  of  Belfast — 
rarely  speaking  the  language,  with  correctness,  and  rarely 
being  able  to  understand  each  other,  would  have  so  readily 
comprehended  the  foul  offence  of  admitting  Jachin  and 
Boaz  to  be  a  true  hook,  and  have  been  so  ready  to  embrue 
their  hands  in  blood  to  avenge  the  admission  ? 

Yet  the  super-remarkable  incidents  of  this  tragedy  do  not 
end  here.  Unlike  the  skilful  precautions  that,  as  will  here- 
after be  seen,  were  used  in  the  case  of  Morgan,  to  prevent 
the  implication  of  each  other,  the  Belfast  murderers  not 
only  perpetrated  the  deed  in  the  open  presence  of  many 
and  "  distressed"  witnesses, — foreigners  and  visiting  bre- 
thren assembled  from  any  and  every  quarter  of  the  world, 
— but  such  was  their  infatuation,  that  after  strangling  their 
victim  until  he  was  dead,  dead,  dead — they  cut  his  throat, 
without  the  fear  of  its  tell-tale  stain  upon  the  floor,  and  put 
upon  him  the  masonic  mark,  by  cutting  open  his  side  and 
left  breast,  so  as  to  show  his  heart ! ! !  This,  as  the  invok- 
ed penalty  of  the  obligation  that  he  had  taken  and  violat- 
ed, must  have  been  done  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  tes- 
timony to  convict  themselves ; — and  then,  to  consummate 
the  evidence,  the  body,  with  this  official  label  upon  it,  to  in- 
dicate the  perpetrators,  is  cast  into  one  of  the  most  public 
docks  of  the  city  ! ! ! 

When  human  nature  shall  tread  backward,  we  may  be- 
lieve the  story  of  Samuel  G.  Anderton — but  until  then — 
NEVER. 

With  great  respect,  1  remain,  &c, 


438  LETTER  XL. 


LETTER    XL. 

New- York,  March  22,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  next  tiial  was  that  of  Ezckiel  Jewett,  which  com- 
menced on  the  15th  of  June,  1830,  at  the  Niagara  Special 
Circuit.  Hon.  WilKam  L.  Marcy  presiding.  Counsel  for 
the  government,  Messrs.  Birdseye,  (special  counsel,)  Whit- 
ney and  Ransom  ;  for  the  defendant,  Messrs:  Matthews, 
Griffin,  Barnard  and  Mason.  Mr.  White  appeared  as  coun- 
sel for  the  masonic  witnesses.  Jonathan  Aire  was  drawn 
as  a  juror,  and  challenged  by  the  counsel  for  the  govern- 
ment for  principal  cause,  to  wit,  for  being  a  Mason. 

Judge  Marcy,  by  consent  of  parties,  was  substituted  for 
the  triers.  Aire  being  sworn,  testified  that  he  was  a  Free- 
mason, and  had  passed  through  three  degrees.  He  had 
heard  that  the  defendant  is  a  Mason,  but  should  not  feel 
bound  to  show  favor  to  a  Mason  on  trial, — nor  had  he  ever 
said  that  Masons  should  not  be  punished  for  their  acts  rela- 
tive to  this  affair.  He  did  not  recollect  the  precise  words 
of  th(>  obligations  he  had  taken,  but  he  believed  he  swore 
by  a  book,  which  he  had  never  read,  but  had  looked  into  it. 
His  obligation  was  to  live  uprightly,  but  he  did  not  consid- 
er himself  bound  to  show  a  Mason  more  favor  than  any 
other  man.  There  was  a  sign  of  distress,  and  he  believes 
that  if  a  Mason  or  any  other  person  was  in  danger  of  his 
life,  he  was  bound  to  assist  him.  There  was  an  exception 
in  the  obligation  to  render  assistance,  but  what  it  was  he 
could  not  recollect.  He  was  bound  to  keep  the  secrets  of 
a  brother  Mason,  but  could  not  recollect  the  clause  about 
going  with  a  master's  errand.     There  had  been  no  commu- 


LETTER  XL.  439 

iiications  by  masonic  signs  or  otherwise,  between  him  and 
the  defendant  now  on  trial. 

Milton  W.  Hopkins  was  now  called  as  a  witness  to  show 
the  purport  of  the  masonic  obligations.  It  was  objected  by 
counsel  for  the  defendant,  that  before  the  testimony  of  wit- 
ness could  be  introduced  to  show  the  purport  of  masonic 
obligations,  it  must  be  proved  that  the  masonic  oaths  were 
similar  in  the  diiierent  lodges.  Witness  then  stated  that  he 
had  taken  three  degrees,  besides  one  or  two  side  degrees, 
and  was  very  conversant  with  Masonry.  He  had  been  in 
many  lodges  in  different  parts  of  this  state  ;  and  all  masonic 
societies,  with  which  he  is  acquainted,  have  the  same  signs 
and  tokens.  He  had  been  in  the  masonic  lodges  in  Canada, 
and  heard  the  obligations  taken  there, — the  ceremonies  were 
the  same  in  Canada  as  in  New- York.  He  had  heard  the 
obligation  of  a  Master  Mason  taken  in'^several  different 
places,  and  it  is  substantially  the  same  in  all  places,  and  so 
are  the  ceremonies. 

The  court  decided  that  as  the  testimony  of  the  witness 
showed  that  the  masonic  fraternity  were  the  same  throughout 
the  world — the  oath  or  obligation  of  a  Master  Mason  in  one 
lodge,  ought  to  be  received  as  prima  facie  evidence  of  the 
oath  or  obligation  administered  to  the  juror. 

The  witness  then  proceeded  to  recite  the  substance  of  a 
Master  Mason's  obligation,  substantially  as  disclosed  by 
Morgan;  after  which  he  underwent  a  long  examination 
upon  the  subject  of  the  obligations  and  rules  of  the  order  in 
general,  which  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  repeat  in  sketching 
the  present  trial.  The  witness  said  he  was  made  a  Mason 
in  Jefferson  county,  in  1817.  There  are  weekly  meetings 
to  rehearse  the  obligations  ; — at  these  meetings  it  is  usual 
to  go  through  all  the  masonic  ceremonies.  He  had  learnt 
the  oaths  so  perfectly  that  he  could  now  repeat  them  verbatim. 
He  had  heard  the  obligations  administered  in  different  lodg- 


440  LETTER  XL. 

es,  and  they  were  the  same  in  each  place ; — sometimes, 
however,  a  clause,  not  material,  is  left  out,  or,  perhaps,  a 
part  is  omitted  by  mistake.  In  1827  he  revealed  these  ob- 
ligations to  others  than  Masons.  A  lecturer,  he  said,  was 
sent  every  year  from  the  Grand  Lodge,  for  the  purpose  of 
correcting  errors,  and  seeing  that  the  signs,  obligations,  &c, 
are  kept  precisely  the  same  in  all  the  lodges.  The  juris- 
diction of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New- York  is  confined  to  the 
limits  of  the  state  ;  and  he  knew  not  of  any  connexion  be- 
tween the  lodges  in  this  state  and  the  lodges  in  Canada. 
Witness  had  never  heard  that  political  obligations  were  in- 
corporated into  the  oath  in  this  or  foreign  countries.  A 
charge  is  given  when  a  member  is  admitted :  the  charge  is 
written  in  a  book,  and  is  often  read.  The  substance  of  this 
charge  is,  to  be  good  citizens,  good  men,  and  good  Masons. 
Charity  and  obedience  to  the  laws  are  inculcated,  and  the 
candidate  is  assured  before  taking  the  obligation,  that  it  will 
not  interfere  with  his  religion  or  his  politics.  It  was  object- 
ed by  defendant's  counsel,  that  if  the  charge  was  written,  or 
printed  in  a  book,  it  ought  to  be  produced,  but  the  objection 
was  over-ruled  by  the  court.  The  witness  further  stated, 
that  the  charge  enjoined  upon  the  candidate  to  perform  all 
his  relative  duties  as  a  citizen,  but  more  particularly  his  du- 
ties as  a  Mason. 

William  Hodgkirs  was  now  introduced.  He  stated  that 
the  defendant  was  a  Mason.  He  did  not  know  of  exactly 
what  degree,  but  he  did  know  him  to  be  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason. 

Mr.  Birdseye  here  intimated  to  the  court,  that  a  connex- 
ion by  signs,  &c.  existed  between  Aire  the  juror  and  the 
defendant. 

The  testimony  as  to  the  qualificationsof  the  juror  being  clo- 
sed, and  the  counsel  for  the  prosecution,  and  for  the  defend- 
ant, having  been  heard,  Judge  Marcy,  after  recapitulating 


LETTER  XL.  441 

the  substance  of  the  masonic  obligations  as  disclosed  in  the 
testimony  of  Hopkins,  in  giving  his  decision,  remarked,  in 
substance,  as  follows  : — 

"  That  the  conclusions  to  which  he  came  in  relation  to  the  challenge  to 
the  juror,  (Jonathan  Aire,)  were,  that  the  oaths  taken  by  Masons  are  whol- 
ly extra-judicial,  and  in  a  legal  point  of  view,  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  bind- 
ing upon  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  admmistcred.  If,  by  fair  construc- 
tion, these  oaths  enjoined  partiality  to  a  brother  Mason  in  the  relation  of 
juror  and  party,  the  engagement  Would  not  be  strictly  and  legally  obligatory. 
The  taking  of  such  an  oath  would  not,  therefore,  be  a  principal  cause  of  chal- 
lenge to  a  juror.  But,  if,  by  the  fair  construction  of  masonic  obligations, 
and  the  juror^s  understanding  of  them,  he  had  engaged  to  extend  favor  to  a 
brother  Mason,  when  that  favor  would  be  an  act  contrary  to  law,  or  in  any 
respect  contrary  to  his  duty  as  a  juror,  the  fact  of  his  having  placed  liimself 
under  such  an  obligation,  would  be  a  good  ground  of  challenge  for  favor, 
and  substituted  as  1  am,  by  consent  of  parties,  for  the  triers,  I  should  feel  it 
my  duty  to  set  aside  a  juror  on  such  a  challenge,  if  it  was  sustained. 

"  It  is  quite  uncertain  what  were  the  obligations  which  Aire  took,— but 
assuming  that  they  were  similar  to  those  in  the  oath  repeated  by  Hopkins- 
most  of  them,  it  will  be  observed,  enjoin  acts  in  accordance  with  high  moral 
duties  ; — and  all  of  them,  I  think,  may  apply  to  acts  which  do  not  necessa- 
rily conflict  with  the  laws  of  the  state,  or  any  duty  enjoined  by  those  laws. 
Considering  the  nature  of  these  obligations,  the  assurance  given  to  the  candi- 
date, before  they  are  administered,  and  the  charges  that  follow,  I  cannot  say 
that  a  Mason  could  rightfully  suppose  that  he  thereby  became  barred  to  do 
any  thing  contrary  to  his  duty  as  a  good  citizen. 

"  That  there  are  Masons  so  infatuated  as  to  entertain  an  opinion  that 
their  masonic  obligations  are  paramount  to  the  civil  laws,  in  some  instances, 
and  that  they  violated  the  latter  by  obeying  the  former,  cannot  now  be  doubt- 
ed ; — but  I  cannot  yield  to  the  belief  that  such  is  the  general  condition  of 
the  order.  To  any  of  those  who  act  upon  such  a  principle,  and  form,  as  I 
apprehend  they  do,  an  exception  to  the  mass  of  the  fraternity,  I  should  hold 
the  objection  now  made  to  this  juror  as  well  taken.  But  in  relation  to  this 
juror,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  assumed  a  masonic  obligation  clearly  in- 
compatible with  his  civil  duty  ;  nor  is  there  evidence  to  call  up  a  reasonable 
suspicion  that  he  ever  regarded  his  masonic  obligations  in  any  other  light 
than  as  subservient  to  his  civil  duties. 

"  If  it  had  been,  or  could  be,  shown,  that  Aire  entertained  the  opinion 
that  his  masonic  obligations  were  inconsistent  with  his  civil  duties  as  a  citi- 
zen of  this  government, — that  he  had  in  the  slightest  manner  countenanced 
the  outrage  committed  in  this  part  of  the  state,— or  even  approved  of  the 
principle  on  which  the  infatuated  men,  engagdd  in  that  transaction,  proceed- 

56 


442  LETTER  XL, 

ed, — I  should  not  hesitate  to  pronounce  him  disqualified  to  take  a  seat 
among  the  jurors  who  are  to  try  this  cause.  But,  as  he  stands  before  this 
court,  I  cannot  reject  him  without  setting  a  precedent  that  would  subject  to 
a  challenge  for  faror,  every  Mason  in  the  state,  in  those^  cases'where  any  of 
the  fraternity  might  be  parties.  Such  a  proceeding  has  not  yet  been  sanc- 
tioned, and,  I  trust,  is  not  yet  required,  for  the  purposes  of  the  due  adminis- 
Iration  of  justice.    I  therefore  decide  that  Aire  be  admitted  as  a  juror."* 

Nathaniel  Denman  was  now  drawn  as  a  juror, — being 
sworn  as  a  witness  to  prove  his  qualifications  to  serve, — he 
stated,  that  he  was  a  Mason,  and  had,  about  two  years  ago, 
sat  in  a  lodge.  The  obligations  which  he  had  taken  were 
the  same  as  detailed  by  Hopkins.  He  had  met  with  the 
lodge  ten  times  or  more, — but  had  never  heard  any  thing 
said  in  the  lodge  as  to  the  Morgan  affair.  He. believed  that 
Masons  carried  off  Morgan,  but  never  approved  of  it.  He 
yet  believed  himself  bound  to  keep  his  oath.  The  grand 
hailing  signs  of  distress,  he  said,  were  given  only  when  life 
was  in  danger,  and  not  on  such  a  trial  as  the  present.  He 
thought,  however,  he  should  show  all  the  favor  he  could  to 
a  brother  Mason. 

The  court  thereupon  put  this  question  to  the  witness : — 
Should  you  be  disposed  to  show  more  favor  to  a  Mason 
than  to  a  person  not  a  Mason,  on  a  trial  ?  The  witness 
replied  that  he  did  not  know  but  he  should.  The  court  de- 
cided that  he  was  disqualified  to  sit  as  juror.  All  the  jurors 
drawn  were  challenged,  and  several  others  were  set  aside, 
for  having  expressed  an  opinion  touching  the  guilt  of  the 
defendant  at  the  bar,  or  of  the  masonic  fraternity  generally. 
In  several  instances,  the  persons  drawn  as  jurors,  not  Ma- 
sons, had  expressed  the  strongest  opinions,  not  only  as  to 
the  guilt  of  the  defendant,  but  of  every  member  of  the  ma- 
sonic fraternity.     Such  jurors  were  of  course  set  aside. 

After  a  very  brief  opening  by  Mr.  Whiting,  to  the  jury, 
in  which  he  explained  the  nature  of  the  cause  they  were 

♦  This  decision  is  substantially  copied  from  the  manuscript  notes  of  tlw- 
Judge  himself,  politely  furnished  for  my  use  in  the  present  work. 


LETTER  XL.  443 

empannelled  to  try,  and  alluded  to  the  more  prominent  facts 
which  the  counsel  for  the  government  expected  to  prove, 
Orsamus  Turner  was  called  upon  the  stand.  Before  giving 
his  testimony  however,  the  witness  requested  permission 
to  confer  with  his  counsel,  which  was  objected  to  by  the 
counsel  for  the  prosecution,  on  the  ground  that  he  had 
known  for  ten  days  that  he  would  be  called  to  testify  in  this 
cause.  The  court  refused  to  grant  the  application  of  the 
witness,  at  this  stage  of  the  trial,  and  the  examination  pro- 
ceeded. 

Turner  stated,  that  in  September,  1826,  he  resided  in 
Lockport — was  at  that  time  a  member  of  the  masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  knew  the  defendant,  who  then  resided  at  Fort 
Niagara,  and  was  the  keeper  of  the  fort.  The  fact  that  one 
William  Morgan  was  about  publishing  a  book  relating  to 
Freemasonry,  was  known  among  Masons  at  the  time  just 
mentioned.  The  propriety  of  suppressing  the  book  was 
discussed,  and  measures  proposed  for  accompHshing  the 
object.  One  of  these  measures  was  the  removal  of  Mor- 
gan from  his  friends  in  Batavia.  Certain  persons  in  Bata- 
via  were  consulted  as  to  the  propriety  of  this  measure ;  they 
did  not  approvc'of  it,  and  it  was  finally  concluded  not  to 
make  any  definite  movement  in  the  matter.  Witness  had 
heard  that  Morgan  was  coming  to  this  place,  (Lockport,) 
but  at  present  knew  not  from  whom  he  heard  it.  He  was 
also,  ignorant  as  to  any  measures  for  his  removal  and  con- 
finement in  jail. 

The  following  question  was  now  put  to  the  witness  : — : 
"  Was  the  defendant  one  of  the  persons  consulted  with,  in 
"  relation  to  separating  Morgan  from  his  friends  at  Batavia, 
"  as  a  means  of  suppressing  the  contemplated  publication  of 
"  a  book  concerning  the  secrets  of  Freemasonry  ?"  This 
question  the  witness  declined  answering  on  the  ground  that 
his  answer  might  subject  him  to  a  similar  prosecution — and 
his  counsel  contended  that  the  answer  of  the  witness  might 


444  LETTER  XL. 

involve  himself  in  an  indictment  for  murder, — as  it  v^as 
alledged  that  Morgan  was  murdered,  and  such  w^as  proba- 
bly the  fact. 

The  court  remarked  that  the  v^ritress  must  know  that  a 
crime  had  been  committed,  before  he  could  claim  the  privi- 
lege of  not  answering  a  question  upon  the  ground  that  the 
answer  might  have  a  tendency  to  involve  him  in  a  prosecil- 
tion  for  that  crime.  The  counsel  for  the  people  contended 
that  the  prosecution  had  not  set  up  any. such  ofFehce  as 
murder, — that  it  was  not  in  possession  of  any  positive  evi- 
dence upon  which  to  found  such  an  indictment, — and  that 
the  record  of  acquittal  then  before  the  court,  exonerated 
the  witness  from  any  prosecution  for  a  misdemeanor. 

The  counsel  for  witness  replied  that  the  absence  of  such 
positive  evidence  was  no  reason  why  the  witness  had  not 
cause  to  fear, — for  the  very  object  of  the  inquiry  might  be 
to  elicit  such  evidence, — and  the  answer  of  the  witness 
might  have  a  tendency  to  render  him  infamous,  or  disgraced, 
and  he  would  therefore  submit  to  the  court  whether  the  wit- 
ness should  answer  the  question. 

The  court  ruled,  that  it  was  not  sufficient  to  entitle  the 
witness  to  the  privilege  claimed,  that  the  answer  might 

have  a  tendency  to  render  him  infamous  or  disgraced ; the 

question  must  be  such  that  the  answer  to  it  will  show  di- 
rectly the  infamy,  and  the  court  must  see  that  such  will  he 
the  case,  before  the  privilege  will  be  allowed.  As  to  the 
objection  that  the  answer  of  witness  may  have  a  tendency 
to  implicate  him  in  a  crime  or  misdemeanor,  or  expose  him 
to  a  penalty  or  forfeiture,  the  court  remarked,  that  the  wit- 
ness cannot  be  compelled  to  answer  any  interrogatory  that 
will  involve  him  in  a  criminal  prosecution.  If  the  court 
were  satisfied  that  the  answer  of  witness  w^ould  furnish  di- 
rect evidence  of  his  own  guilt,  or  would  establish  one  of 
many  facts  which  together  would  warrant  his  conviction, 
then  the  privilege  would  be  allowed.    But  the  witness  can* 


LETTER  XL,  445 

not  set  up  such  a  defence  unless  he  knows  that  his  answer 
will  so  involve  him.  To  entitle  to  the  privilege,  the  answer 
to  the  particular  question  put  must  so  involve  the  witness  in 
an  indictment.  On  the  trial  of  Aaron  Burr,  for  treason,  a 
witness  was  shown  a  letter  in  cipher.  He  refused  to  an- 
swer whether  he-  knew  it  or  not ; — and  the  case  before  us 
is  similar. 

The  counsel  for  the  witness  remarked,  that  the  cases  dif- 
fered,— because  the  witness  is  here  asked  whether  he  knew 
the  defendant  was  consulted  anterior  to  the  trial.  The 
court  replied,  that  the  witness  must  claim  the  privilege 
when  in  danger  ^  Burr's  case  was  not  like  the  present, — 
there  the  concerting  was  a  crime— not  so  here.  The  coun- 
sel for  witness  further  objected  that  the  witness  did  not  rest 
his  refusal  to  answer  on  the  misdemeanor,  but  on  the  ground 
that  a  murder  has  actually  been  committed.  Some  inquiry 
would  then  be  had. 

The  Court  said, "  you  must  establish  that  point :  every  per- 
son who  helped  take  off  Morgan,  would  not  be  liable  to  an 
indictment  for  his  murder,  as  that  crime  might  have  been 
committed  in  pursuance  of  other  and  subsequent  counsels." 

The  counsel  for  witness  suggested  that  if  it  v^^ere  shown 
that  the  witness  was  at  defendant's  house  consulting  with 
persons  on  the  subject  of  Morgan's  abduction,  it  might  be 
against  him — it  would  bring  home  to  him  a  knowledge  of 
the  transaction. 

The  court  replied — you  think  that  this  question  may  be 
followed  up  by  others  that  would  involve  him  in  a  criminal 
prosecution ; — when  such  are  put  to  the  witness,  he  may 
refuse  to  answer — but  he  takes  his  stand  too  soon. 

Messrs.  Griffin  and  Barnard,  counsel  for  the  defendant, 
contended  that  the  question  was  improper  in  regard  to  the 
defendant,  as  the  form  of  it  obliges  him  to  answer  as  to  a 
matter  of  fact.  Can  the  witness  say  that  defendant  was 
consulted  if  he  had  only  the  confession  of  the  defendant  ? 


446  LETTER' XL. 

And  should  the  witness  answer  the  question  put  to  him  in 
the  affirmative,  the  counsel  may  follow  it  Up  and  interrogate 
him  as  to  the  manner  of  his  knowing  it.  .  If,  then,  he  should 
be  required  to  answer,  he  might  divulge  the  fact  that  he 
communicated  with  the  defendant  himself— and  thus  crim- 
inate himself  and  become  liable  to  a  criminal  prosecution. 

The  Court  again  addressed  the  witness  and  told  him  that 
his  privilege  must  be  overruled,  and  that  he  must  answer 
the  question.  Witness — "  I  will  not  answer."  Court — "  I 
"  shall  punish  you  then." — Before  directing  the  clerk  to  en- 
ter the  rule.  Judge  Marcy  observed,  that  the  witness  was 
liable  to  be  indicted  for  every  contempt, — and  that  each 
one  must  be  entered  on  the  record,  as  he  should  direct  the 
District  Attorney  to  find  bills  for  each  refusal  separately. 

The  following  record  was  then  entered  on  the  minutes 
of  the  court.— 

"  Orsamus  Turner,  a  witness  in  the  cause  of  the  People  v.  EzeJciel  JietoeM," 
having  refused  to  answer  the  following  question,  "  was  the  defendant  one 
of  the  persons  consulted  with  in  relation  to  separating  Morgan  from  his 
friends  at  Batavia,  as  a  means  of  suppressing  the  contemplated  publication 
of  a  book  concerning  the  secrets  of  Freemasonry," — after  the  court  had 
decided,  that  it  was  a  legal  and  proper  interrogatory  for  him  to  answer: — 
The  court  do  adjudge,  that  by  such  refusal  he  is  guilty  of  contempt  in  open 
court.  It  does,  therefore,  sentence  him  to  pay  a  fine  therefor^  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  and  be  imprisoned  for  the  space  of  thirty  days  in  the 
jail  of  the  county  of  Niagara."* 

The  examination  of  the  witness  being  resumed,  he  was 
asked — "Do  you  know  that  the  defendant  consented  or 
"  agreed  to  prepare  the  magazine  at  Fort  Niagara  for  the 
"  reception  and  confinement  of  William  Morgan  ?" — The 

♦  During  Turner's  confinement  he  was  supplied  by  his  masonic  friends 
with  every  luxury  that  the  country  could  furnish,  and  that  money  could  pro- 
cure; he  was  constantly  visited  by  his  masonic  brethren,  and  their  wives 
and  daughters  ;  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  imprisonment,  was  con- 
ducted from  the  jail  to  his  residence  in  a  coach  and  four,  with  attending 
Masons,  shouting  at  the  triumph  of  crime  over  justice  ! 


LETTER   XL.  447 

witness  refused  to  answer  this  question.  It  being  nearly  the 
same  question  as  the  other,  he  feared  it  might  involve  him 
in  a  criminal  prosecution. — By  the  court — "you  are  asked 
whether  the  defendant  did  agree  to  prepare  the  magazine." 
— The  witness  replied  that  it  was  a  leading  question,  and 
he  could  not  answer  it  without  danger. 

The  counsel  for  witness  requested  permission  to  consult 
with  him. — The  court  remarked,  that  the  witness  had  im- 
bibed strange  and  erroneous  ideas, — that  the  court  wished 
to  preserve  the  rights  of  the  witness,  but  that  the  rigor  of  the 
law  must  be  enforced,  if  he  refused  to  answer  questions 
pronounced  to  be  proper  ones  by  the  court,  from  which  he 
is  alone  to  receive  the  law. 

The  counsel  for  the  witness  thought  the  answer  would 
involve  him  in  an  indictment  for  murder. 

The  question,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  court,  was  varied 
and  put  in  the  following  form, — "  Have  you  heard  the  de- 
"  fendant  confess  or  admit  that  he  had  consented  or  agreed 
"  to  prepare  the  magazine  ?"  Witness  answered  that  he  had 
not — never  heard  him  say  that  he  had  consented  that  the 
magazine  should  be  used  for  the  confinement  of  William 
Morgan. — ^The  second  question  being  again  put,  he  an- 
swered that  he  had  no  positive  proof  of  it, — but  refused  to 
tell  what  proof  he  had — and  urged  the  same  objections  as 
before. 

The  witness  was  then  asked,  "  Do  you  know  whether 
*'  the  defendant  was  applied  to  for  a  place  in  or  about  Fort 
"  Niagara  for  the  purpose  of  confining  William  Morgan  ?" 
— Witness  refused  to  answer  and  claimed  his  privilege. 
The  court  decided  that  he  must  answer.  He  still  refused ; 
whereupon  the  court  proceeded  to  pass  sentence  on  the  wit- 
ness for  contempt — and  he  was  sentenced  therefor  to  impris- 
onment in  the  jail  of  the  county  of  Niagara  for  thirty  days. 
The  witness  not  having  property,  the  fine  was  not  impos- 
ed, as  it  would  mitigate  the  punishment  on  the  indictment. 


448  LETTER  XL. 

The  examination  of  the  witness  being  again  resumed,  he 
stated  that  he  never  heard  defendant,  in  conversation  w^ith 
others,  one  or  more,  admit  that  such  application  had  been 
made  to  him,-r-never  heard  defendant  say  that  he  had 
agreed,  to' prepare  a  place  for  Morgan, — and  did  not  recol- 
lect positively,  that,  in  the  presence  of  the  defendant,  he 
had  heard  any  person  say,  that  the  defendant  had  so 
agreed — and  did  not  know  that  the  defendant  was  present 
when  the  propriety  of  carrying  off  Morgan  was  discussed. 

Witness  being  asked,  "  Have  you  ever  been  present  at 
"  a  conversation  between  two  or  more  persons,  at  which 
'*  the  defendant  was  present,  on  the  subject  of  confining 
"  Morgan  ?"  refused  to  answer.  The  question  being  va- 
ried, was  finally  put  thus  :  "  Were  you  ever  present  when 
"  the  subject  of  preparing  a  place  at  Fort  Niagara,  or  at 
"  any  other  place  in  the  county  of  Niagara,  was  discussed 
"  in  the  presence  of  the  defendant  ?"  The  court  decided 
the  question  to  be  a  proper  one,  and  directed  the  witness  to 
answer  it ; — but  he  urged  his  privilege,  and  refused — and 
the  court  thereupon  ordered  another  entry  to  be  made  of 
contempt,  and  sentenced  the  witness  to  an  imprisonment  of 
thirty  days. 

The  examination  being  again  resumed,  witness  was  ask- 
ed, "  if  he  did  not  go  to  Fort  Niagara  in  September,  1826, 
"  and  see  Jewett  ?"  but  he  again  refused  to  answer.  He 
was  then  asked  if  "  he  did  not  swear  so  before  the  grand 
"  jury  ?"  The  counsel  for  witness  objected  to  the  question, 
and  it  was  not  pressed. 

Eli  Bruce  was  now  called  as  a  witness,  but  refused  to 
be  sworn,  saying,  "  he  was  once  before  sworn  and  exam- 
*'  ined,  and  no  good  came  of  it."  The  court  adjudged  him 
guilty  of  contempt  in  open  court,  and  sentenced  him  to  im- 
prisonment for  the  space  of  thirty  days,  in  the  jail  of  the 
county  of  Ontario, — the  witness  being  then  a  prisoner  in 
the  custody  of  the  sheriff  of  that  county,  and  having  been 


LETTER  XL.  449 

brought  up  to  testify  in  this  cause  by  a  writ  of  Habeas 
Corpus. 

John  Whitney  being  called  as  a  witness,  refused  to  be 
sworn.  The  court  sentenced  him  also-  to  imprisonment  of 
thirty  days,  and  to  pay  a  fine  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.* 

John  Jackson  was  the  next  material  witness  called  upon 
this  trial.  He  will  be  recollected  as  the  person  who  went 
to  the  magazine,  in  company  with  Giddings,  on  the  morn- 
ing after  it  was  believed  Morgan  had  been  confined  in  the 
fort.  On  being  sworn,  he  was  asked  whether,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  14th  of  September,  1826,  he  and  Giddings,  or 
Giddings  alone,  went  to  the  magazine,  but  he  refused  to  an- 
swer the  question,believing  it  to  be  an  improper  one,  which 
might  subject  him  to  an  indictment  for  an  oftence  of  high 
magnitude. 

The  court  said  he  could  not  be  prosecuted  for  the  cfonspi- 
racy  ;  a  prosecution  for  that  oflfence  is  barred  by  the  statute. 

Griffin — Witness  does  not  wish  to  disclose  the  act  for 
which  he  fears  a  prosecution ;  this  is  the  very  thing  he 
wishes  to  conceal. 

Court — Do  you  suppose  it  would  involve  you  in  a  pro- 
secution for  murder  ? 

The  witness  answered  that  he  did  not  know  how  far  it 
would  affect  him  ;  did  not  know  it  would  involve  him  in  a 
charge  of  murder.  He  had  been  told  by  Mr.  Spencer,  that 
if  he  would  tell  all,  he  would  protect  him. 

The  Court — The  witness  cannot  first  presume  an  offence 
to  have  been  committed,  and  then  claim  a  privilege  not  to 
answer  a  question,  on  the  ground  that  such  answer  would 
involve  him  in  a  prosecution  for  a  presumed  offence.  The 
witness  must  know  that  a  crime  has  been  committed,  before 

♦  While  these  sheets  are  passing  through  the  press,  I  learn  from  a  Lock- 
port  paper,  that  Bruce  and  Whitney  have  both  been  tried  this  spring,  oii-inr 
dictments  for  misdemeanors,  in  so  refusing  to  be  ^sworn,  and  have  each  been 
fined  therefor  in  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

57 


450  LETTER  XL. 

he  can  claim  the  privilege.  To  claim  the  privilege  on  mere 
presumption  that  such  a  result  would  occur,  rendered  wit- 
ness guilty  of  perjury.  If,  how^ever,  witness  would  brave 
heaven  and  earth,  and  commit  perjury,  it  could  not  be  help- 
ed. By  answering,  the  witness  need  not  admit  that  he 
murdered  Morgan ;  but  he  must  know  it  beyond  a  doubt. 

Barnard — Every  man  in  the  community  believes  that  a 
murder  has  been  committed. 

The  witness  now  requested  permission  to  confer  with 
counsel,  which  was  granted.  On  his  return,  he  still  refused 
to  answer  the  question.  The  court  repeated  that  witness 
must  be  well  satisfied  that  a  crime  had  been  committed,  be- 
fore he  could  claim  the  privilege. 

The  counsel  for  the  people  here  asked  witness  if  he  did 
not  testify  on  this  point  in  open  court,  at  Canandaigua? 
Witness  replied  that  he  answered  the  same  question,  or  one 
of  like  import,  on  the  trial  of  Bruce. 

The  court  decided  that  if  witness  had  once  waived  his 
privilege,  it  could  not  grant  him  the  privilege  now. 

Question  repeated.  "  Did  you  go  to  the  magazine  on  the 
"  morning  of  the  14th  of  September,  1826,  before  you  went 
«  to  Lewiston  ?"  Witness,  after  again  consulting  counsel, 
said  he  did  go  towards  the  magazine,  in  company  with  ano- 
ther person  :  might  have  gone  within  one  rod  of  it ;  it  was 
not  defendant  who  went  with  him. 

Q.  "  What  was  your  object  in  going  to  the  magazine  ?" 
Witness  refused  to  answer,  and  the  question  was  waived  for 
the  present. 

The  question  next  put,  was  this : — "  Was  any  thing  car- 
•*  ried  by  the  person  who  went  with  you  to  the  magazine  ?" 
And  here  I  think  I  can  in  no  way  convey  to  you  so  correct 
an  impression  of  the  character  of  this  extraol-dinary  trial, 
as  l^y  quoting  the  residue  of  the  examination  of  Jackson,  as 
.?:reported  by  Mr.  Cadwallader,  of  Lockport,  and  furnished 


LETTER  XL.  45L 

me  by  Judge  Marcy.      After  the  last  mentioned  question 
was  put,  the  examination  proceeded  as  follows: — 


"  Witness  thinks  there  was  ;  don't  recollect  exactly  what;  thinks  he  had  a 
basket  in  his  hand ;  don't  recollect  that  he  e.'.w  what  was  in  it ;  it  was  co- 
vered up  with  a  cloth  or  brown  paper ;  did  not  see  him  carry  a  vessel  with 
drink  in  it ;  does  not  recollect  that  he  did  so  at  any  other  time  ;  witness  thinks 
he  did  not  carrj'  a  vessel  containing  drink  towards  the  magazine ;  it  was  a 
small  basket.  The  other  man  went  up  to  the  magazine;  thinks  he  did  not 
see  that  person  go  into  the  magazine.  Witness  had  to  go  by  the  window  to 
return  ;  the  man  did  not  return  with  him  ;  can't  say  positively  that  he  saw 
him  come  back  ;  saw  him  when  he  was  within  a  few  feet  of  the  house ;  can't 
say  whether  he  had  the  basket.  At  the  magazine  saw  the  man  go  towards 
the  door  of  it ;  did  not  see  any  door  unlocked;  the  outside  door,  which  wit- 
ness saw,  he  thinks  was  down,  or  partly  opened  ;  the  person  was  a  little 
ahead  of  him  ;  did  not  see  him  enter  ;   can't  say  positively  but  he  did  enter. 

"  Witness  was  next  asked  '  if  he  heard  the  person  with  him  speak  to  any 
person  in  the  magazine?'  He  objected  to  answering.  The  court  decided 
that  he  must  answer.  Witness  answered  *  he  did  ;'  a  person  in  the  maga- 
zine replied  :  thinks  he  did  not  hear  a  noise  before  or  at  the  time  he  stopped; 
don't  recollect  that  the  first  he  heard  in  the  magazine  was  the  above  answer; 
don't  recollect  that  the  person  on  the  outside  called  the  one  in  the  magazine 
by  name  ;  don't  recollect  that  he  spoke  to  him  as  one  he  already  knew. 

"  To  a  question,  *  What  was  the  conversation  that  passed  between  the 
person  on  the  outside  and  the  one  on  the  inside  ?'  counsel  for  defendant  ob- 
jected, on  the  ground  that  defendant  might  be  implicated  by  conversation  to 
which  he  was  not  a  party,  or  which  was  not  held  in  his  presence.  The  coun- 
sel for  the  people  disclaimed  any  such  intention :  they  did  not  wish  witness 
to  detail  aught  that  would  criminate  defendant,  unless  he  were  present:  they 
wished  justice  to  be  done,  and  nothing  more.  The  court  then  instructed  the 
witness  not  to  repeat  any  conversation  that  would  go  to  implicate  defendant, 
unless  it  was  held  in  his  presence. 

"  Witness  answers  to  question,  that  he  '  dont  recollect :'  something  waa 
said  :  most  forgets  what :  the  import,  to  the  best  of  his  recollection,  was  *to 
clear,  to  be  off.'  He  "  took  the  substance  to  be  '  clear  out,'  and  he  did  clear 
out."  Thinks  the  voice  came  from  the  magazine  ;  he  did  not  stay  for  an  an- 
swer to  be  given  ;  he  dropped  what  he  had  and  ran :  he  dropped  *a  gun,  a 
fowUng-piece  :  got  the  fowling  piece  from  Giddings  :  don't  know  that  it  was 
loaded :  the  person  with  him  requested  him  to  take  it  along:  took  itjor  the 
purpose  of  going  a  hunting:  had  before  concluded  to  go  to  the  installation, 
eight  miles !  put  a  bag  on  him  to  carry  the  game  in  !  the  person  he  went 
with  said,  *  let  us  go  a  hunting''  This  was  after  breakfast.  The  voice 
witness  heard  caused  him  to  run|  it  *  scared  him!'  thinks  Giddings  replied  to 


452  LETTER  XL. 

it ;  don't  recollect  the  substance  of  the  reply,  nor  any  part ;  recollects  the 
reply  was  very  loud;  don't  recollect  that  it  was  threatening  ;  the  object  of 
the  reply  might  have  been  to  order  the  man  to  be  quiet ;  can't  be  positive 
whether  it  was  or  was  not ;  his  language  might  have  been  that  of  a  man 
speaking  in  a  commanding  or  threatening  manner  ;  it  is  his  impression  that 
it  was  to  induce  silence  on  the  part  of  the  man  in  the  magazine  ;  heard  the 
voice,  and  then  told  his  companion  he  would  stay  no  longer,  thinking  it  best 
to  be  off;  thinks  the  voice  was  as  before  stated  ;  don't  think  he  staid  to  hear 
the  reply  of  his  companion  ;  was  surprised  to  hear  the  voice  from  the  maga- 
zine in  that  manner ;  might  not  have  been  surprised  if  he  had  heard  an  ac- 
companying voice  ;  it  was  the  manner  of  the  voice  that  induced  him  to  run  ; 
lodged  at  his  friend's  house  the  night  before  ;  don't  recollect  a  carriage  com- 
ing to  his  house,  nor  near  it,  nor  about  it ;  don't  recollect  now  that  any  men 
came  to  the  house  that  night ;  he  was  told  so  ;  had  no  knowledge  of  it. 
Witness  before  that  time  had  been  introduced  to  Colonel  Jewett  ;  does  not 
recollect  that  he  saw  him  at  the  fort  the  evening  previous,  nor  before  he  went 
to  the  installation  ;  in  the  morning  the  steam-boat  was  at  the  dock  going  to 
Lewiston ;  Giddings's  family  was  going  up ;  Giddings  was  the  man  he  went 
with  to  the  magazine  ;  believes  the  fort  was  left  in  care  of  Giddings  ;  when 
the  troops  went  off,  Giddings  was  left  in  charge  of  the  fort,  some  time  be- 
fore September,  1826  ;  at  the  time  of  the  installation,  Jewett  resided  at  the 
mess  house  at  the  fort ;  can't  swear  that  he  had  charge  of  the  fort  at  that 
time.  Witness  went  to  the  installation  in  the  forenoon  ;  thinks  he  saw  de- 
fendant at  Lewiston,  and  had  conversation  with  him  ;  don't  think  he  inform- 
ed him  of  the  noise  ;  had  '  special  orders'  when  he  left  Giddings  ;  heard  a 
noise  in  the  magazine  before  he  went  to  Lewiston ,  it  was  a  few  minutes  af- 
ter the  first  time  ;  it  was  a  human  voice;  when  he  last  heard  the  noise  he 
was  passing  by  the  magazine  to  go  to  Lewiston  ;  had  an  errand  to  do  there ; 
he  was  requested  to  inform  certain  persons  there,  that  the  man  in  the  maga- 
zine was  making  a  noise  ;  Edward  Giddings  gave  him  the  errand  ;  witness 
did  not  communicate  it  to  defendant  at  Lewiston,  nor  in  his  presence  ;  don't 
know  that  it  came  to  Jewett's  ear  that  the  man  was  confined  in  the  maga- 
zine, except  by  hearsay  ;  witness  was  requested  to  communicate  his  mes- 
sage to  certain  persons  who  were  named ;  more  than  one  or  two  ;  not  to  the 
whole  installation;  not  to  the  defendant,  nor  to  any  one  living  at  Lewiston. 

"  Witness  don't  recollect  that  the  man  that  went  with  him  to  the  maga- 
zine had  any  weapon;  he  spoke  about  a  pistol;  he  had  a  pistol ;  don't  know 
as  it  was  loaded  ;  when  near  the  magazine,  the  man  spoke  to  the  person  in 
the  magazine  ;  thinks  he  said,  *  be  still ;  be  quiet ;'  never  recollected  that 
any  thing  was  said  to  the  man  in  the  inside  about  the  pistol.  Witness  com- 
municated his  errand  but  to  one  person  at  Lewiston.  When  the  man  in  the 
magazine  said  *  be  off!'  Giddings  wanted  witness  to  stop.  The  man  that 
witness  communicated  his  errand  to  at  Lewiston,  started  to  go  to  the  fort. 

"  Cross-examined.  Giddings  at  the  houso  had  a  pistol ;  can't  say  he  saw 
it  after  they  itarted," 


LETTER  XL.  45S 

Theodore  F.  Talbot  and  Bates  Cooke  were  examined,  as^ 
to  the  appearances  of  the  magazine,  in  March,  1827,  when 
it  was  visited  by  them,  as  a  committee  of  examination. 
They  described  the  strength  of  the  apartment,  and  the 
marks  of  violence,  as  though  some  person  had  been  confin- 
ed therein,  and  made  strong  and  violent  exertions  to  force 
the  way  out.    . 

A  number  of  witnesses  were  introduced,  among  whom 
w^ere  Hiram  Hubbard,  Mrs.  Hall,  Cory  don  Fox,  Mr.  Perry, 
Robert  Mollineaux,  and  most  of  those  named  on  the  for- 
mer trials,  proving  the  abduction,  and  all  the  particulars  of 
the  journey  from  Canandaigua  to  Niagara  ;  but  in  looking 
over  several  columns  of  the  testimony,  I  find  no  facts,  not 
already  mentioned,  worthy  of  note. 

William  P.  Daniels,  was  likewise  called  again  upon  this 
trial.     He  knew  Solomon  C.  Wright ;  but  on  being  asked 
if  he  was  as  Wright's  house  on  the  evening  before  the  in- 
stallation of  the  Lewiston  Chapter, — (that  is,  when  Morgan 
was  brought  thither  in  the  close  carriage,  and  guarded  in 
the  barn,) — he  refused  to  answer  the  question,  on  the  ground 
that  it  might  implicate  him  in  a  more  serious  crime  than 
that  of  a  misdemeanor, — an  indictment  for  the  murder  of 
Morgan,  as  an  accessory  before  the  fact.     The  court  again 
explained  the  law,  as  in  the  instance  of  Turner's  refu- 
sal ;  but  the  witness  still  refused  to  answer.     He  also,  for 
the  reason  above  given,  declined  answering  the  inquiries 
whether  Eli  Bruce,  [and  Jeremiah  Brown,  were  at  Wright's 
on  the  occasion  referred  to.      The  court  here  again  inter- 
posed, and  emphatically  remarked,  that  unless  the  witness 
was  altogether  certain,  from  evidence  other  than  that  gene- 
rally known,  that  there  was  a  murder  committed,  and  that 
he  would  be  in  danger  of  being  indicted  for  it,  upon  the 
knowledge  afforded  by  his  answer,  he  was  guilty  of  perju- 
ry, in  claiming  the  privilege.     "  It  is,  therefore,"  continued 
the  court,  "  a  question  of  perjury  or  not  with  you, — and 


454  LETTER  XL. 

"  remember,  if  the  laws  of  man  cannot  reach  you,  the  laws 
«  of  God  will!"'  The  witness  then  replied: — "that  he 
"  claimed  his  privilege  only  and  directly  upon  the  ground 
"  that  his  answer  to  the  questions  would,  as  he  believed,  im- 
"  plicate  him  in  tjie  murder  of  Morgan."  This,  he  answer- 
ed, he  said  "  under  his  oath,  and  with  an  understanding  of 
*'  the  question." 

Daniels  was  then  asked  if  he  had  seen  Elihu  Mather  or 
Jeremiah  Brown  driving  a  closed  carriage  along  the  Ridge 
Road,  on  the  13th  of  September,  1826.  He  objected  to 
answer,  on  the  same  ground  as  before.  The  court  decided 
that  he  must  answer  the  question.  He  then  consulted  his 
counsel,  after  which  he  replied — "  no."  Being  farther  press- 
ed, he  replied  that  he  now  thinks  he  saw  a  close  carriage 
pass,  but  does  not  know  who  drove  it.  Being  asked  if  he 
knew  that  Eli  Bruce  was  in  that  carriage,  and  pressed 
closely  upon  the  question,  he  again  consulted  his  counsel. 
He  afterwards  replied  that  he  believed  Eli  Bruce  was  in 
the  carriage.  Being  further  pressed,  he  acknowledged  that 
his  belief  was  so  strong  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  Bruce 
was  in  the  carriage.  He  was  at  the  installation,  but  did 
not  recollect  seeing  the  defendant,  (Jewett,)  there.  He 
might  have  talked  with  Jewett  afterwards,  about  the  con- 
finement of  Morgan  in  the  magazine. 

Hiram  B.  Hopkins,  the  former  deputy  of  Bruce,  was  like- 
wise sworn.  In  addition  to  the  circumstances  testified  by  him 
on  the  former  trials,  he  now  disclosed  the  fact,  that  when  he 
was  exalted  to  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  in  the  month  of  Au- 
gust preceding  the  abduction,  he  was  informed  after  taking 
the  obligation,  of  the  intention  of  Morgan  to  disclose  all  their 
secrets.  He  was  told  that  means  would  be  taken  to  sup- 
press the  book,  and  he  was  charged  "  to  govern  himself  ac- 
'*  cordingly." 

A  great  number  of  additional  Matnesses  were  examined, 
to  prove  a  variety  of  corroborating  facts  and  circumstan- 


LETTER  XL.  455 

ce^  of  the  case,  which  it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to  enu- 
merate. It  was  proved  that  the  defendant  was  the  person 
in  charge  of  the  fort  and  public  property,  at  the  time  of 
Morgan's  confinement ;  but  the  prevarications  and  refusals 
to  answer,  of  the  most  important  witnesses,  whose  testi- 
mony, if  honestly  given,  would  beyond  a  doubt  have  estab- 
lished the  direct  and  positive  guilt  of  the  defendant,  left  the 
case  deficient  in  afiirmative  lestimony  sufficient  to  warrant 
a  legal  conviction.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  sketch  I  have 
presented,  that  whenever  a  question  was  put,  bearing  hard 
upon  the  conspirators,  it  was  either  evaded,  or,  after  con- 
sultations with  counsel,  not  answered  at  all,  on  the  ground 
of  privilege. 

The  cause  was  summed  up  by  Messrs.  White  and  Bar- 
nard for  the  defendant,  and  Messrs.  Whiting  and  Birdseye 
for  the  people. 

I  have  been  obligingly  furnished  by  Judge  Marcy  with 
the  notes  of  his  charge  to  the  jury  in  this  case,  and  regret 
that  I  have  not  leisure  to  transcribe  it  for  your  perusal. 
The  judge  said  it  was  an  important  cause,  but  derived  its 
importance  less  from  the  immediate  consequences  in  which 
it  might  involve  the  defendant,  or  the  specific  nature  of  the  of- 
fence imputed  to  him,  than  from  the  very  extraordinary  trans- 
action which  it  has  been  necessary  to  disclose.  The  court 
did  not  think  it  necessary,  after  six  days  of  anxious  applica- 
tion, to  recapitulate  the  whole  examination ;  and  as  to  most  of 
the  points  of  law,  the  judge  said  he  had  expressed  his  opin- 
ions, in  the  hearing  of  the  jury,  in  the  progress  of  the  trial. 
He  had  been  anxious  to  give,  and  in  his  judgment  had  giv- 
en the  prosecution  the  benefit  of  all  the  rules  of  law  that 
could  aid  in  developing  the  facts  involved  in  this   trans- 
action, tending  in  any  way  to  show  in  a  legal  manner,  the 
defendant's  participation  in  the  abduction  of  Morgan.    But, 
while  it  was  of  vast  importance  to  us  all,  that  action  and 
energy  should  be  given  to  our  system,  to  which  we  owe 


456  LETTER  XLI. 

the  security  of  life  and  property,  yet  there  are  rules  for  the 
benefit  of  those  who  may  be  unfortunately  involved  in  a 
false  charge  for  crimes — rules  for  the  safety  of  innocence. 
The  most  important  of  all  these  rules  for  the  accused,  is 
the  obtaining  of  an  impartial  jury.  Upon  this  point  great 
pains  had  been  taken  ;  and  as  that  matter  had  been  submit- 
ted to  the  court,  he  had  endeavored  to  admit  no  person 
upon  the  panel,  w^ho  vv^as  not  wJiolly  indifferent  to  the  ques- 
tion of  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  defendant.  The  in- 
dictment to  be  tried  was  for  falsely  imprisoning  Morgan, 
and  conspiring  to  imprison  and  carry  him  to  parts  unknown. 
There  was  no  evidence  to  sustain  either  charge,  unless  the 
jury  should  be  satisfied  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt,  that 
Morgan  was  in  Fort  Niagara.  But  no  sort  of  connexion 
between  the  defendant  and  those  who  took  Morgan  away 
from  Canandaigua,  or  those  who  had  transported  him 
through  that  county,  had  been  shown.  In  order  to  bring 
the  charge  home  to  the  defendant,  it  must  be  shown  that 
Morgan  was  actually  confined  in  the  fort,  and  that  the  de- 
fendant had  some  agency  in  bringing  him  there,  and  con- 
fining him.  Or,  if  the  defendant  knew  of  his  confinement 
while  it  existed,  and  had  command  of  the  place  where  he 
was  confined,  and  did  not  interfere  in  any  manner  for  his 
relief,  it  would  be  a  just  inference  of  guilt. 

The  jury  retired  at  about  1 1  o'clock  on  the  evening  of 
the  fifth  day  of  the  trial,  and  returned  in  a  few  moments 
with  a  verdict  of  "  Not  Guilty." 

I  am,  sir,  &c. 


LETTER   XLI. 

New- York,  March  23,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  court  proceeded   immediately  with  the  trial  of 

Solomon  G.  Wright  and  Jeremiah  Brown,  both  of  whom 


LETTER  XLI.  457 

had  been  indicted  for  the  misdemeanor  of  Morgan's  abduc- 
tion. Wright,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  keeper  of  the 
tavern  at  the  junction  of  the  road  from  Lockport,  with  the 
Ridge  Road — the  house  at  which  the  kidnappers  halted  so 
long,  until  Bruce  joined  them  in  the  evening.  A  large  par- 
ty of  Masons,  as  it  has  repeatedly  been  mentioned,  assem- 
bled at  his  house  on  that  occasion.  After  a  late  supper, 
they  proceeded  towards  Lewiston,  with  the  closed  carriage, 
which  had  been  driven  into  Wright's  barn,  and  kept  guard- 
ed, until  their  departure.  The  first  witnesses  examined,  as 
in  most  of  the  preceding  trials,  were  the  jailor  and  his  wife, 
from  Canandaigua,  and  others,  proving  the  abduction  and 
night  journey  t9  Hanford's  Landing,  and  the  passage  of  the 
closed  carriage  along  the  Ridge  Road  to  Wright's.  Hi- 
ram Hubbard's  testimony  was  of  the  same  forgetful  and 
dogged  character  as  that  heretofore  given  by  the  same  wit- 
ness, 

David  Maxwell,  the  keeper  of  the  turnpike  gate  near  by, 
proved  some  mysterious  conduct  of  Wright,  at  the  time 
the  carriage  stopped  at  his  house.  Brown,  the  other  de- 
fendant, was  also  abundantly  identified,  by  various  wit- 
nesses, as  one  of  the  persons  with  the  carriage,  at  Wright's, 
and  afterwards  at  Mollineaux's,  where  Bruce  procured  a 
change  of  horses.     Brown  drove  the  carriage. 

Mahala  Farwell,  who  had  testified  to  little  purpose  on 
the  trial  of  Jeweit,  now  made  some  admissions,  respecting 
the  absence  of  her  husband,  which,  though  not  bearing  di- 
rectly upon  the  case  in  hand,  disclosed  another  instance  of 
the  activity  of  the  accused  and  their  friends,  in  preventing 
the  attendance  of  witnesses.  Her  husband  was  believed  to 
be  an  important  witness ;  but  although  they  had  always 
lived  happily  together,  yet  about  three  years  ago,  just  be- 
fore the  holding  of  a  court,  he  had  left  her.  The  belief 
was,  that  he  had  been  hired  to  abandon  his  wife  for  the 
time  being,  and  remain  absent,  until  the  affair  should  be  over. 

58 


458  LETTER  XLI. 

John  Jackson  was  again  sworn  as  a  witness  on  the  pre- 
sent trial,  and  his  testimony  varied  considerably  in  several 
essential  particulars,  from  what  it  was  on  a  former  trial.  It 
w^ill  be  recollected  that  he  accompanied  Giddings  to  the 
magazine,  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  September,  1826. 
According  to  his  present  testimony,  he  took  a  gun,  w^hen 
they  went  to  the  magazine,  and  Giddings  had  a  pistol,  but 
he  did  not  see  him  take  a  pistol.  He  did  not  take  any  am- 
munition, and  knew  not  that  the  musket  was  loaded.  When 
Giddings  went  up  to  the  magazine,  witness  remained  sixty 
or  seventy  feet  off.  He  heard  a  man  in  the  magazine,  as 
Giddings  approached,  saying  "  be  off."  The  voice  was 
loud,  and  witness  dropped  his  gun  and  walked  off  pretty 
lively,  because  he  was  frightened,  and  thought  it  best  to  be 
off.  Witness  did  not  recollect  that  Giddings  mentioned  the 
name  of  Morgan;  but  he,  (witness)  was  sent  up  to  Lewis- 
ton,  where  thai  Masons  were  proceeding  with  the  installa- 
tion, with  instructions  to  tell  Col.  King,  and  David  Hague, 
that  the  man  in  the  magazine  was  making  a  noise,  and  they 
must  come  down.  As  he  departed  for  Lewiston,  in  pass- 
ing the  magazine  he  again  heard  the  man  making  a  noise. 
He  could  hear  his  voice,  but  not  the  words — might  have 
heard  him  say  "  O  dear  !" 

A  sister-in-law  of  Wrighf  s,  named  Hannah  Farnsworth, 
who  cooked  the  supper  for  the  party  on  the  evening  of  the 
13th  of  September,  was  now  called  as  a  witness.  Great 
pains  had  been  taken  to  procure  her  attendance  on  the  other 
trials,  for  three  yejirs  previously,  but  without  success.  On 
her  present  examination,  notliing  was  elicited  of  impor- 
tance. She  did  not  recollect  any  circumstance,  implicating 
any  person  whatever.  Indeed  she  said  "  she  did  not  feel 
particularly  called  upon  to  recollect !"  William  P.  Daniels 
was  likewise  again  sworn  upon  this  trial.  After  having 
admitted  that  he  saw  Bruce  pass  on  the  Ridge  Road  with 
the  Qlpsed  carriage,  at  about  U  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the 


LETTER  XLI.  459 

13th, — he  was  asked — did  you  see  Jeremiah  Brown  ? 
Ans.  "  Can't  say  that  I  did  or  did  not."  The  court  object- 
ed to  this  mode  of  answering  the  question,  and  required  of 
him  to  tell  what  he  meant  by  "  can't  say."  The  witness 
replied  that  he  did  not  see  him  [Brown]  on  the  Ridge  Road : 
and  again,  "  supposed  he  did :  believed  he  did :  had  no 
"  doubt  it  was  the  man  now  in  court."  He  did  not  recollect 
whether  Brown  drove  the  carriage  or  not.  He  was  not 
told  by  Bruce  that  Morgan  was  in  the  carriage  ;  but  "  be- 
"  fore  the  abduction  he  might  have  heard  the  subject  dis- 
"  cussed  by  individuals,  and  he  might  have  heard  it  spoken 
"  of  at  Batavia  !"  The  reporter  of  this  trial,*'  a  copy  of 
which  has  also  been  furnished  me  by  the  Judge  who  pre- 
sided, as  being  in  general  correct,  remarks,  in  regard  to 
this  witness : — "  We  never  heard  a  witness  answer  ques- 
"  tions  with  more  reluctance  than  this  man  Daniels,  and  we 
"  never  wish  to  see  another  like  exhibition  in  a  court  of  jus- 
"  tice,  of  a  struggle  for  mastery  between  the  influence  of  the 
*^  Masons,  and  those  of  the  whole  community." 

A  conversation  was  proved  by  Daniel  Pomeroy,  between 
Col.  King  and  another  man,  to  the  following  effect.  Wit- 
ness lived  in  the  western  part  of  the  town  of  J^ockport,  and 
attended  the  installation  at  Lewiston.  He  arrived  at  that 
place  on  the  preceding  evening,  and  took  supper  with  Col. 
King  and  others,  at  the  "  Frontier  House."  While  there, 
that  evening,  witness  was  introduced  to  a  stranger,  from 
Rochester,  whose  name  he  did  not  now  recollect.  Witness 
heard  the  stranger  say  to  King,  that  some  person  would  be 
there  that  night.  King  and  the  stranger  then  walked  to 
another  part  of  the  house,  and  were  engaged  in  conversa- 
tion. The  witness  walked  up  to  them  afterwards,  and  heard 
the  stranger  say,  as  he  came  up  to  them — "  He  will  be  here 
"  to-night."    He  did  not  recollect  that  the  name  of  Morgan 

*  Mr.  Cadwallader,  editor  of  the  Lockport  Balance. 


460  LETTER  XLI. 

was  mentioned  in  connexion  with  that  remark,  but  the  sub- 
ject of  Morgan's  book  was  immediately  introduced,  and  the 
stranger  observed,  "  two  or  three  degrees  were  written,"  or 
"  published,"  (witness  did  not  recollect  which ;)  but  King 
replied  that  "  he  would  take  care  of  him"  King  knew  that 
witness  was  a  Mason. 

The  next  witness  examined  was  Theodore  F.  Talbot, 
Esq.,  with  whose  name  you  must  long  since  have  become 
familiar,  as  one  of  the  most  active  members  of  the  celebra- 
ted Lewiston  Committee  if  investigation.  Talbot's  ex- 
amination w^as  made  in  reference  to  a  conversation  which  he 
had  had  with  one  of  the  defendants,  (Wright,)  in  March, 
1827.  Witness  was  then  on  a  tour  of  investigation  along  the 
Ridge  Road,  and  called  on  Wright  to  request  information 
of  such  circumstances  as  might  be  in  his  possession,  or 
within  his  knowledge.  It  must  be  here  borne  in  mind,  that 
Wright  himself  had  been  examined  as  a  witness,  on  the 
trial  of  Whitney  and  Gillis,  and  had  then  sworn  that  he 
knew  nothing  in  particular  of  the  mysterious  carriage  which 
arrived  at  his  house  on  the  afternoon  of  the  13th  of  Septem- 
ber ;  or  of  the  carriage  being  driven  into  the  barn ;  or  of 
any  particular  reason  for  the  assemblage  of  so  many  peo- 
ple at  his  house,  on  that  occasion  ;  or  of  the  arrival  of 
Bruce  there  that  evening.  Very  different  was  that  testi- 
mony from  the  admissions  made  by  him  to  Talbot,  in 
March,  1827.  Mr.  Talbot's  examination  as  to  that  con- 
versation with  Wright,  was  long  and  particular — from 
which  it  appeared  that  to  most  of  the  questions  he  had  put 
to  Wright,  he  made  evasive  replies,  or  gave  no  explana- 
tions at  all.  He  admitted  that  the  carriage  was  driven  to 
his  house,  at  the  time  specified,  but  did  not  admit  that  Jere- 
miah Brown  was  with  it,  although  he  said  Brown  some- 
times passed  that  way.  But  the  circumstance  of  the  cur- 
tains being  closed  down,  gave  him  no  surprise.  The  col- 
lection of  so  many  people  at  his  house,  excited  no  attention. 


LETTER  XLI.  461 

Wright  admitted  to  witness,  that  the  fact  of  the  singular 
circumstances  under  which  the  carriage  arrived,  and  the 
fact  that  it  was  not  driven  up  to  the  door,  as  was  usual 
with  carriages,  had  excited  some  suspicions  in  the  public 
mind,  but  not  with  him.     In  answer  to  the  question  why 
they  drove  the  carriage  into  the  barn,  on  so  clear  a  night, 
when  there  was  a  convenient  shed,  he  replied  that  people 
sometimes  chose  to  have  their  carriages  put  in  safe  places. 
He  also  had  informed  the  witness  in  that  conversation,  that 
he  had  himself  opened  the  harn-doors,  to  admit  the  carriage^ 
and  that  he  unhitched  the  horses  from  the  carriage  with  his 
own  hands.     When  asked  why,  inasmuch  as  he  kept  a  hos- 
tler to  take  that  part  of  the  labor,  he  had  left  his  bar,  where 
there  was  a  crowd  of  people,  to  perform  these  offices  him- 
self — and  why,  when  he  had  met  the  hostler  coming  to  the 
barn  with  provender,  he  took  it  from  him,  to  feed  the  hor- 
ses himself,  he  gave  no  explanations  whatever,  nor  did  he 
attempt  to  deny  the  facts.     When  asked  if  he  did  not  think 
it  strange  that  travellers   should  have  supped  at  his  house, 
and  taken  their  departure  thence  at  such  a  late  hour,  he  re- 
plied that  travellers  had  a  right  to  do  as  they  pleased,  and 
he  did  not  feel  hurt  about  it.     He  told  witness  that  the  car- 
riage returned  about  sun-rise  the  next  morning — he  did  not 
know  the  driver,  but  admitted  that  Jeremiah  Brown  was  in 
the  carriage.     But  he  had  not  asked  Brown  any  questions. 
He  admitted  that  when  the  carriage  was  driven   away  in 
the  night,  it  did  not  come  up  to  the  steps  to  take  in  the  pas- 
sengers, and  he  admitted  that  he  saw  it  drive  away.     Lo- 
ton  Lawson  had  been  there  at  about  that  time — probably 
coming  from  the  west,  the  first  or  second  day  after  the  in- 
stallation.    I  have  given  a  very  brief  epitome  of  this  ex- 
amination, but  it  embraces  all  that  is  essential  to  the  case, 
and  in  the  principal  facts,  the   defendant's  admissions  and 
declarations,  soon  after  the  outrage,  were  directly  in  con- 


462  LETTER  XLI. 

tradiction  to  his  testimony  as  given  on'the  trial  of  Whitney 
and  Gillis. 

A  witness  who  was  in  the  employ  of  the  defendant, 
Wright,  testified,  in  substance,  that  he  came  in  from  work 
rather  earlier  than  usual  on  the  evening  in  question,  and 
found  a  large  collection  of  people  at  the  house  ;-^most  of 
them  had  sticks,  which  he  thought  very  large  ones  to  walk 
with.  Soon  after  he  came  in,  he  saw  a  movement,  when 
the  whole  company  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  off  on 
the  Ridge  Road  eastwardly ; — Wright  did  not  go  with 
them,  but  some  one  rode  his  horse.  In  about  ten  or  twen- 
ty minutes  afterwards,  witness  being  up  stairs,  the  compa- 
ny returned,  and  as  he  thought  there  was  an  unusual  bustle, 
he  went  down,  to  see  what  they  were  about.  He  saw  them 
driving  the  carriage  into  the  barn.  The  entrance  was  high 
and  difficult,  and  several  persons  took  hold  of  the  wheels 
and  body  to  thrust  it  in.  The  doors  were  then  closed  upon 
it.  There  was  much  of  whispering  among  the  people,  in 
which  Wright  bore  a  part.  Brown,  the  other  defendant, 
was  also  among  them  when  they  returned,  and  he  heard 
him  declare  to  somebody — "  it  was  a  tedious  job."  They 
took  supper  there  :  Bruce  was  amongst  them,  with  Orsamus 
Turner,  the  printer,  of  Lockport.  The  witness  retired  to 
bed  before  the  company  departed,  and  he  knew  nothing 
further  that  was  material  to  the  case. 

Hiram  B.  IJopkins,  David  C.  Miller,  and  a  number  of 
other  witnesses,  were  examined  by  the  prosecution,  but 
their  evidence  was  not  material,  and  the  prosecution  rested. 

The  testimony  offered  by  the  defence  had  little  to  do 
with  the  case,  any  farther  than  that  the  characters  of  both 
defendants  were  shown  to  have  been  unexceptionable.  In- 
deed the  counsel  for  the  prosecution  admitted  this  fact,  ar- 
guing therefrom,  the  evil  tendency  of  the  masonic  institu- 
tion, since,  by  its  influence,  feuch  men  had  been  involved  in 


LETTER  XLI.  463 

these  breaches  of  the  law.  The  witnesses  examined  to 
other  points,  were,  1st.  James  B.  Lay,  of  Batavia.  He  was 
present  at  Danold's  tavern,  on  the  morning  of  September 
11,  when  Morgan  was  arrested  and  carried  away  to  Canan- 
daigua ;  but  he  saw  no  violence,  although  he  observed  con- 
siderable excitement.  2fL  Johnson  Goodwill,  also  of  Bata- 
via. He  testified  to  the  particulars  of  an  interview  with 
Morgan,  on  Sunday,  the  10th,  when  the  latter  voluntarily 
introduced  the  subject  of  the  book  he  was  preparing.  He 
said  he  had  been  persuaded  into  the  undertaking  by  Miller, 
Davids,  and  Dyer,  who  had  promised  to  supply  him  with 
money,  but  had  not  done  so.  They  had  not  treated  him 
well.  He  had  undertaken  the  work  on  account  of  his  pov- 
erty, because  he  had  no  means  of  obtaining  a  living  ;  and 
he  would  even  then  gladly  relinquish  and  suppress  it,  if  he 
could  get  back  his  manuscripts.  He  had  attempted  to  do 
this,  but  Miller,  he  said,  would  not  give  them  up.  Morgan 
expressed,  very  anxiously,  a  desire  to  be  altogether  rid  of 
Miller,  and  the  witness  offered  him  an  asylum,  with  his  fam- 
ily, at  his  own  house.  He  also  assured  Morgan  that  if  he 
was  so  poor,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  providing  means 
for  his  support,  provided  he  would  get  back  his  manuscripts, 
and  stop  the  work.  In  regard  to  his  difficulties  with  Mil- 
ler and  Davids,  Morgan  said  to  witness,  he  had  written 
them  a  sharp  note,  which  he  was  apprehensive  was  so 
much  in  the  form  of  a  challenge  that  they  might  take  the 
advantage  of  him,  by  instituting  a  prosecution.  The  third 
witness  for  the  defence,  was  William  R.  Thomson,  sheriff 
of  Genesee,  at  the  time  of  Morgan's  arrest.  He  corrobora- 
ted the  testimony  of  the  last  witness,  respecting  the  difficul- 
ties that  existed  between  Morgan  and  Miller,  and  the  strong 
desire  manifested  by  the  former  to  get  entirely  clear  from 
the  latter.     The  defence  was  rested  here. 

Messrs.  Griffin  and  Barnard  summed  up  for  the  defend- 
ants, and  Messrs.  Birdscye  and  Whiting  for  the  people. 


464  LETTER  XLI. 

Judge  Marcy  charged  the  jury  with  great  clearness  and  im- 
partiality, and  the  cause  was  submitted  to  the  jury  at  the 
close  of  the  fourth  day  of  the  trial.  The  jury  remained  out 
thirty-six  hours,  and  then  came  into  court  with  a  verdict  of 
"  Not  Guilty" — to  the  astonishment  alike  of  the  Bench, 
the  Bar,  and  the  People.  There  is  not — there  cannot  be,  a 
particle  of  doubt,  that  both  of  the  defendants  were  concern- 
ed in  the  abduction,  though  not  as  principals.  They  knew 
that  Morgan  was  a  free  citizen  under  constraint, — held  un- 
der such  constraint  without  legal  process, — and  they  were 
not  only  assenting  to  his  being  thus  held  in  duress,  but  were 
aiding  and  assisting. 

It  was  understood  that  ten  of  the  jurors  were  for  con- 
victing the  defendants  ;  but  the  two  obstinate  members 
solemnly  declared  that  they  would  stay  out  and  die,  before 
they  would  consent  to  a  verdict  of  guilty  ;  and  the  ten  ac- 
commodating gentlemen  yielded.  While  this  jury  was  out, 
a  Mason  was  detected  in  conveying  provisions,  wrapped  in 
a  cloak,  to  the  two  "  faithful"  members.  He  was  arraigned 
before  the  court,  and  promptly  punished. 

Just  upon  the  heel  of  this  trial,  came  out  in  the  Anti- 
masonic  papers,  another  of  those  terrific  tales  of  masonic  mur- 
der, which  had  previously  been  interspersed  between  the  le- 
gal transactions  so  frequently  occurring  in  the  progress  of 
Anti-masonry.  It  is  a  story  of  which  I  hardly  know  what 
to  make.  That  it  was  a  masonic  murder,  perpetrated  in  the 
same  spirit  with  that  which  projected  and  executed  the  out- 
rage upon  Morgan,  1  am  most  unwilling — nay,  I  cannot 
believe  ; — and  yet,  there  are  most  unpleasant  features  in  the 
narrative.  The  story  is  substantially  this  : — A  Mr.  Lemu- 
el De  Forest,  said  to  be  a  well  known  and  respectable  inha- 
bitant of  the  county  of  Livingston,  published  a  deposition 
embracing  the  following  extraordinary  statement.  In  the 
summer  and  autumn  of  1809,  Mr.  De  Forest  lived  in  Al- 
bany, where  he  became  acquainted  with  a  man  by  the  name 


LETTER  XLI.  465 

of  Loring  Simbnds,  a  sash-maker  by  trade,  and  who  had 
been  in  the  army.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Lucas 
Hooghkerk,  a  respectable  master-builder,  in  Albany.  Si- 
monds,  in  the  course  of  his  familiar  conversations  with 
De  Forest,  informed  him  that  when  he  came  to  Albany,  he 
had  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  dollars,  which  he  entrusted 
to  some  masonic  friends, — a  firm, — which  failed  soon  after- 
w^ards,  and  took  the  benefit  of  the  act  without  paying  or 
securing  to  him  the  amount  of  a  shilling.  In  revenge 
for  being  thus  swindled,  by  his  brethren,  he  determined  to 
reveal  the  secrets  of  the  masonic  order,  and  he  proposed  to 
instruct  the  deponent,  De  Forest,  in  the  mysteries.  They 
were  in  the  habit  of  meeting  upon  this  subject,  in  an  old  un- 
inhabited house,  in  Van  Schaick-street,near  the  two-steepled 
church.  Simonds  had  taken  three  degrees,  all  of  which  he 
was  teaching  to  his  friend  De  Forest.  On  one  of  these  oc- 
casions, Simonds  had  expressed  an  apprehension  that  he 
might  lose  his  life  for  what  he  w^as  doing ;  but  the  remark 
was  made  rather  sportively,  and  it  passed  off".  After  some 
time  had  elapsed,  on  a  Friday  afternoon,  when  they  were 
in  the  old  building,  unobserved,  as  both  supposed,  Simonds 
being  engaged  in  giving  him  some  illustrations  of  Masonry, 
on  a  sudden  a  man  by  the  name  of  Webb,  an  English- 
man of  about  fifty  years  of  age,  known  to  both  as  a  Mason, 
came  wearily  up  stairs,  and  exclaimed  as  he  pointed  at  the 
teacher  of  De  Fores't, — "  Simonds,  you  villain  I  You  are  a 
*^ perjured  wretch :  I  have  caught  you  in  the  very  act ;  if  I 

"SHOULD  CATCH  YOU  IN  THE  DARK,  I  SHOULD  BE  NONE  TOO 

"  GOOD  TO  PUT  A  KNIFE  INTO  YOU  !"  Saying  this,he  turned 
upon  his  heel  and  disappeared.  Both  parties  were  of  course 
startled  at  the  surprise  ;  but  Simonds  trembled  like  an  as- 
pen leaf.  His  countenance  changed  to  an  ashy  paleness, 
and  he  staggered  back  to  a  seat.  A  pause  oi  a  few  mo- 
ments ensued,  when  he  said—"  Well :  I  will  not  give  it  up 
«  so;"  and  after  another  short  interval  of  silent  astonishment, 

59 


466  LETTER  XLI. 

they  separated.  On  the  very  next  morning,  at  about  10 
o'clock,  word  was  brought  to  De  Forest  that  his  friend  was 
dying  at  a  gambling  house  in  the  Colonic, — now  the  fifth 
ward  of  Albany.  He  hastened  thither,  and  found  Simonds 
in  the  agonies  of  death ; — there  was  a  rattling  in  his  throat, 
and  green  frothy  matter  was  discharging  from  his  mouth 
and  nose  in  copious  quantities.  While  De  Forest  was 
there,  some  eight  or  ten  persons  came  in,  and  among  them 
a  physician,  who,  after  feeling  his  pulse,  remarked  that 
his  case  was  hopeless,  and  departed.  Simonds  died  in  the 
afternoon,  and  a  few  friends  made  up  a  contribution  for  his 
burial.  No  coroner's  inquest  sat  upon  his  body  ;  his  re- 
mains were  taken  home  to  his  house  in  Van  Schaick-street ; 
and  interred  on  the  following  day,  by  the  eight  or  ten  per- 
sons before  referred  to.  Mr.  Hooghkirk,  his  employer,  su- 
perintended the  arrangements  for  the  funeral,  and  was  him- 
self a  high  and  active  Freemason.  The  character  of  Si- 
monds was  good,  and  he  left  a  wife  and  two  or  three  small 
children.  Such  is  the  story,  as  solemnly  sworn  to  by  a  re- 
spectable citizen.  Mr.  De  Forest  likewise  declares  that  he 
has  never  entertained  a  doubt  of  his  friend  having  been 
murdered  by  the  Masons,  for  making  the  disclosures  refer- 
red to.  And  those  disclosures,  he  adds,  were  in  perfect 
agreement  with  Moi'gan's  illustrations. 

The  Anti-masons  seized  upon  this  tale  as  greedily  as  they 
had  done  upon  that  of  Miller,  heretofofe  related  ;  but  it  did 
not  make  so  deep  an  impression,  or  cause  so  lively  an  ex- 
citement. The  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  tale  is  the 
coincidence  between  his  own  previously  expressed  appre- 
hension of  evil;  the  discovery  and  threat  of  Webb;  and 
the  sudden  and  violent  death  occurring  immediately  after- 
wards. But  tliis  coincidence  might  very  well  have  b^en 
caused  by  the  threat,  and  the  foreboding.  The  operation  of 
fear,  might  have  suddenly  disordered  his  mind.  Such  a 
result  is  not  only  physically  possible,  but  physically  proba- 


LETTER  XLII.  467 

ble  ;  and  while  in  this  situation  he  most  likely  used  the 
means  of  self-destruction.  There  is  yet  another  circum- 
stance :  he  was  at  a  gambling  house.  Perhaps  he  had 
spent  his  last  shilling  :  nay,  his  sixteen  hundred  dollars 
might  have  been  lost  by  play.  If  so,  what  more  natural, 
or  common,  than  that  he  should  have  preferred,  in  a  mo- 
ment of  wretchedness  and  despair,  to  face  death  than  a  des- 
titute wife  and  children  !     Simonds,  beyond  a  doubt,  died 

A  SUICIDE  ! 

I  am,  sir,  very  truly  yours. 


LETTER    XLII. 

New- York,  March  25,  1832. 
Sir, 

There  were  several  transactions  in  the  year  1830, 
which,  though  not  exactly  forming  a  part  of  the  Morgan 
history,  are  nevertheless  entitled  to  notice,  since  they  forci- 
bly exhibit  the  spirit  by  which  Freemasonry  was  actuated, 
in  all  cases  where  the  supposed  rights  of  the  craft  were  con- 
cerned, or  its  rites  and  mysteries  made  the  subject  of  le- 
gal investigation.  During  the  most  feverish  state  of  the 
Anti-masonic  excitement,  a  newspaper  had  been  establish- 
ed at  Rochester,  the  avowed  object  of  which  was  to  vindi- 
cate the  Masons  from  the  aspersions,  as  they  were  called, 
of  their  antagonists,  and  to  oppose  the  Anti-masons  at  all 
points.  This  paper,  which  was  conducted  with  more  of 
flippancy  and  smartness,  than  talent,  was  excessively 
virulent  in  its  course,  and  during  the  period  that  Mr.  Spen- 
cer discharged  the  duty  of  special  counsel,  he  was  the  stand- 
ing subject  of  its  bitterest  invective.  The  paper  was  es- 
tablished by  masonic  contributions,  and  patronised  al- 
most exclusively  by  them.    The  cause  of  the  persons  in- 


468  LETTER  XLII. 

dieted  for  the  conspiracy,  was  warmly  espoused  by  it,  and 
they  were  represented  as  innocent  and  persecuted  men. 
On  the  conviction  of  John  Whitney,  the  jury  was  grossly 
libelled  by  this  paper — (The  Craftsman) — for  which  libel 
the  editor  was  promptly  indicted.  "  He  was  tried  on  this 
"indictment  in  January,  1830,  when  the  jury  could  not 
"  agree  on  their  verdict.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that 
"  the  disagreement  proceeded  from  four  Masons  who  were 
"  on  the  jury.  He  was  again  tried  in  June,  1830,  when  he 
"  did  not  even  call  a  witness  to  prove  the  libels  he  had  pub- 
"  lished,  and  he  was  convicted  without  hesitation,  and  fined 
*'  fifty  dollars.  The  history  of  this  case  is  introduced  in 
"  consequence  of  its  connexion  with  the  main  trials,  and  to 
"exhibit  one  of  the  instances  of  the  operation  of  masonic 
"  feeling  in  the  jury  box." 

The  trial  of  Calvin  Cook  vs.  Harvey  Cook  at  Fort  Ann, 
in  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  in  June,  1830,  before  Ben- 
jamin Copeland,  Esq.,  a  magistrate  of  that  town,  will  per- 
haps illustrate  still  more  clearly,  and  more  unfortunately, 
the  influence  of  masonic  obligations  upon  men  who  attach 
an  undue  importance  to  the  institution.  The  controversy 
grew  out  of  the  Anti-masonic  excitement.  The  parties 
were  cousins,  and  were  both  Masons — the  former  had  sece- 
ded, and  the  latter  adhered.  The  unpleasant  feelings  first 
engendered  by  this  controversy,  resulted  in  open  feuds. 
A  succession  of  outrages  were  committed  upon  the  doors 
and  machinery  of  the  plaintiff^s  mills,  which  were  directly 
charged  upon  the  defendant.  He  was  importuned  by  his 
relative  to  desist,  but  is  said  to  have  replied  that  "  he  (de- 
"  fendant)  should  not  wonder  if  plaintiff's  house  were  burnt 
"  over  his  head,  unless  he  seceded  back  from  Anti-masonry." 
A  repetition  of  the  trespass  having  occurred,  after  the  ad- 
monition and  threat,  an  action  was  instituted  for  the  recove- 
ry of  damages,  for  the  various  acts  of  violence  attributed 
10  the  defendant. 


LETTER   XLII.  469 

The  county  of  Washington  had  been,  for  a  long  time 
previously,  infected  with  Anti-masonry ;  and  the  parties 
ranged  themselves  on  this  trial  with  as  much  apparent  zeal 
and  bitterness,  as  on  the  trials  in  the  west. 

A  jury  having  been  summoned,  Erastus  Day  was  chal- 
lenged by  the  plaintiff  for  favor,  on  the  broad  ground  of  his 
masonic  obligations.  This  was  overruled,  and  he  was  then 
challenged  for  cause,  and  triers  appointed.  The  proposed 
juror,  being  sworn,  was  asked  if  he  was  a  Mason.  He  re- 
fused, at  first,  to  answer  the  question  ;  but  being  admonish- 
ed by  the  court,  testified  that  he  was,  and  that  he  had  taken 
seventeen  degrees.  Being  interrogated  as  to  various  points 
of  obligation  in  the  masonic  oaths,  he  again  refused  to  an- 
swer ;  and  at  length  told  the  magistrate  that  he  considered 
his  masonic  oaths  superior  to  the  oaths  he  had  just  taken 
before  the  court  !  Sylvester  Cone,  the  next  witness,  reso- 
lutely refused,  at  first,  even  to  be  sworn.  He  finally  con- 
sented, however,  at  the  solicitation  of  his  friends ;  but  to 
questions  touching  the  secrets  of  the  order  he  firmly  refused 
to  reply  ;  and  to  those  to  which  he  answered,  his  replies 
were  dogged  and  reluctant.  The  same  unwillingness  is 
said  to  have  been  manifested  by  five  other  witnesses  who 
were  Freemasons. 

.  The  plaintiff  then  called  Messrs.  William  Brayton,  Ben- 
jamin Seeley,  and  Nathaniel  Colver,  who,  it  is  presumed, 
were  seceding  masons,  and  some  of  whom  testified  that  in 
the  Royal  Arch  Oath,  among  the  keeping  of  secrets,  mur- 
der and  treason  were  not  excepted  ;  and  that  the  members 
of  the  fraternity  w^ere  required  to  help  each  other  out  of 
difficulty,  right  or  wrong  ;  and  also  to  promote  their  politi- 
cal preferment. 

The  report  of  the  trial  from  which  my  information  re-, 
specting  this  case  is  principally  drawn,  and  which  should 
probably  be  received  with  some  grains  of  allowance, 'pro-r 
ceeds  to  state,  as  follows; 


470  LETTER  XLII. 

"  Several  circumstances  transpired  during. this  trial,  to  illustrate  the  pecu- 
liar nature  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  and  their  dread  of  investigation.  Every 
Mason,  sworn  or  called  as  a  witness,  seemed  unusually  anxious  to  give  his 
opinion^  that  tliere  was  nothing  wrong  in  Masonry,  and  that  there  was  no- 
thing wrong  in  the  oaths,  which  he  thought  ought  to  disqualify  a  man  from 
sitting  as  a  juror;  and  they  seemed  grieved  to  the  heart,  that  they  should 
not  be  allowed  to  crowd  their  opinions  down  the  throats  of  the  triers,  as  in- 
dubitable evidence.  Biit  when  called  upon  to  let  the  triers  have  the  plain 
undisguised  facts  about  Masonry,  or  masonic  oaths,  they  were  as  silent  as 
the  grave.  While  on  the  other  hand,  the  other  witnesses  seemed  unwilling 
to  express  any  opinion,  but  wished  to  state  the  facts,  and  let  the  triers  have 
them,  upon  which  to  judge.  On  the  second  day,  Mr.  Colver  was  called  as 
a  witness,-  and  cross-examined  by  Mr.  Gibbs.  He  was  asked,  '  did  you 
ever  take  an  oath  which  you  supposed  would  bias  you  as  a  juror  ?'  He  re- 
plied, *  I  will  tell  you  what  oath  1  did  take,  and  the  triers  may  judge  of  it 
themselves;  I  took  an  oath  in  these  very  words' Here  he  was  stop- 
ped by  the  counsel,  saying,  'I  don't  want  the  oath,  I  want  your  opinion^ 
whether  you  supposed  the  oath  would  bias  you  as  a  juror  ?'  Mr.  Colver  said, 
if  the  court  decided  he  should  give  an  opinion  to  the  triers,  he  would  give  it 
with  pjeasure ;  otherwise  he  was  unwilling  to  obtrude  any  opinion  upon 
them,  but  would  state  the  facts,  and  the  points  in  the  oath,  and  let  the  triers 
form  their  own  opinion.  But  Mr.  Gibbs  urged  the  question  ;  the  counsel 
for  the  plaintiff  withdrew  his  objection,  and  Mr.  Colver  answered,  *  1  did 
take  an  oath,  which,  upon  reflection,  I  was  satisfied  was  designed,  and  di- 
rectly calculated  to  set  the  laws  of  God  and  man  at  defiance.'  Mr.  Gibbs 
did  not  ask  for  a  second  opinion." 

Much  feeling  was  eddent  during  the  trial,  and  that  of 
not  the  most  pleasant  description.  At  times  there  was  an 
exhibition  of  passion  on  the  part  of  the  sticklers  for  Free- 
masonry, and  a  degree  of  sensitiveness,  really  surprising, 
when  we  consider  the  comparative  unimportance  of  the 
occasion.  Frequently  the  proceedings  were  interrupted  by 
the  intrusiveness  of  the  friends  of  the  defendant,  and  the 
witnesses  were  openly  and  repeatedly  told  not  to  answer 
the  questions.  The  court,  also,  was  chided  for  allowing 
such  questions  to  be  put.  But  it  is  needless  to  particularize 
all  the  embarrassments  that  were  thrown  in  the  way  of 
the  proceedings.  After  the  examinations  were  ended, 
the  question  as  to  the  competency  of  the  juror,  on  the  score 
of  impartiality,  was  summed  up  on  both  sides,  and  was 


LETTER  XLil.  471 

thereupon  submitted  to  the  triers  under  a  charge  from  the 
court.  After  mature  dehberatibn,  the  triers  returned  with 
the  decision  that  Erastus  Day  did  not  stand  indifferent  to  the 
parties  litigant,  and  he  was  rejected  from  the  jury. 

When.thie  trial  had  proceeded  for  some  time,  a  question 
of  title  became  involved  in  the  cause,  which  at  once  took  it 
from  the  magistrate's  jurisdiction;  and  there,  so  far  as  lam 
informed,  the  matter  ended. 

This  trial,  though  unconnected  with  the  Morgan  business, 
was  yet  one  of  the  fruits  of  the  Anti-masonic  excitement, 
and  though  unimportant  in  its  results  as  to  the  parties  im- 
mediately concerned,  was  nevertheless  far  from  being  un- 
important, in  its  bearing  upon  the  masonic  institution.  It 
appeared  but  too  clearly  from  the  testimony,  that  the  Ma- 
sons in  Washington  county,  have  taken  their  obligations  in 
their  worst  forms, — I  mean  as  they  have  been  altered  for 
the  worse,  by  ignorant  and  designing  men,  without  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  higher  bodies  to  which  the  lodges  and  chapters 
owe  obedience.  It  was  also  proved,  beyond  contradiction, 
that  where  the  obligations  resting  upon  Freemasons,  have 
been  so  given,  so  received,  and  so  understood,  by  its  vota- 
ries, they  may  very  frequently,  and  very  materially,  inter- 
fere with  the  impartial  and  due  administration  of  the  laws. 
It  was  on  this  occasion  asserted,  and  I  have  never  heard  • 
the  assertion  contradicted,  that  the  Masons  present  on  the 
trial  held  their  obligations  to  be  paramount  to  the  laws  of 
the  land  ;  and  even  had  the  hardihood  not  only  to  set  at  de- 
fiance, but  to  brave  the  court  in  terms  ; — and  when  solemn- 
ly sworn  to  answer  such  questions  as  should  be  put  to  them, 
refused  peremptorily  to  answer  at  all ! 

Und^r  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  I  am  constrain- 
ed to  admit,  that  the  juror  in  the  foregoing  cause  was  pro- 
perly rejected ;  and  every  Freemason  who  has  taken  the 
oaths  as  the  Masons  at  Fort  Ann  seem  to  have  done,  and 
who  regards  them  in  the  same  sense,  and  holds  them  in  the 


47% 


LETTER  XLII. 


same  estimation  of  superiority  to  the  civil  law,  may  justly 
be  considered  as  having  disqualified  himself  from  sitting  as 
an  impartial  juror,  w^here  his  masonic  brethren  are  on  trial. 
The  next  movement  of  the  Anti-masonic  party  w^as  pure- 
ly political.  A  governor,  lieutenant  governor,  and  mem- 
bers of  Congress  were  to  be  elected,  together  with  senators 
and  representatives  of  the  state  legislature.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  nominating  candidates  for  the  two  former  offices, 
and  making  general  preparations  for  the  contest  through  the 
counties,  another  Anti-masonic  State  Convention  was  held 
at  Utica,  on  the  11th  of  August,  1830.  Forty-five  coun- 
ties were  represented  by  one  hundred  and  eleven  delegates — 
constituting  in  all  respects  a  very  intelligent  and  respectable 
body.  Francis  Granger  was  once  more  nominated  for  go- 
vernor, and  Samuel  Stevens,  of  New- York,  for  the  second 
office.  Mr.  Granger  had  been  previously  nominated  by  a 
primary  meeting  of  the  National  Republicans  of  Suffolk 
county,  for  the  same  station  ;  and  both  nominations  were  of 
a  character  so  entirely  unexceptionable,  that  the  great  body 
of  the  National  Republican  party  felt  disposed  to  give  them 
a  cordial  and  hearty  support.  With  the  National  Republi- 
cans, whose  attention  was  directed  to  the  maintenance  of 
the  great  fundamental  principles  of  the  federal  constitu- 
tion, now  believed  to  be  in  imminent  pjeril,  and  with  whom 
state  politics  were  consequently  of  but  minor  consideration, 
the  question  of  Masonry  or  Anti-masonry,  was  looked  up- 
on as  of  very  little  comparative  importance.  So  that  the 
honor  of  the  nation,  and  the  federal  constitution,  could  be 
preserved,  untarnished  and  unbroken,  with  a  party  which 
was  contending  for  principle,  without  regard  to  personal 
considerations,  it  was  a  matter  of  but  small  moment,  whe- 
ther the  state  officers  were  Freemasons,  or  their  opponents. 
No  other  persons,  therefore,  were  nominated  in  opposition  to 
the  candidates  of  the  friends  of  General  Jackson's  adminis- 
tration ;  and  a  confident  hope  of  success  was  indulged  by 


LETTER  XLII.  473 

the  friends  of  the  union  ticket.  But  these  hopes  were  not 
reahzed.  In  the  western  country,  where  Anti-masonry  first 
sprang  into  existence,  and  where  it  had  taken  the  deepest 
root,  the  united  friends  of  Mr'.  Granger  carried  every  thing 
before  them.  The  holy  day  legions  of  the  Persians  were 
not  more  completely  routed  by  the  phalanxes  of  the  impe- 
tuous Macedonian,  than  were  the  partizans  of  Governor 
Throop,  and  the  friends  of  General  Jackson,  in  the  country 
west  of  the  Cayuga.  In  the  western  senatorial  district,  the 
vote  for  the  National  Republican  and  Anti-masonic  candi- 
dates, was  more  than  two  to  one.  Mr.  Granger  crossed 
the  Hudson,  coming  east,  with  a  majority  of  1400.  But 
in  proportion  as  Anti-masonry  had  become  purely  political, 
so  had  Freemasonry,  from  the  mere  fact  of  feeling  itself 
persecuted-  and  oppressed,  become  in  a  measure  political 
also ;  and  as  it  w^as  impossible  to  make  the  whole  public 
perceive  that  considerations  of  national  importance  were 
involved  in  what  was  wholly  a  state  election,  thousands 
and  thousands  of  the  National  Republicans  who  yet  adher- 
ed to  Freemasonry  in  the  central  counties,  cast  their  votes 
for  the  Jackson  candidates, — not  from  any  affection  for 
those  candidates,  or  from  approbation  of  their  principles, — 
but  from  strong  unmingled  hatred  to  Anti-masonry.  The 
result  was  fatal  to  the  candidates  in  opposition.  Instead  of 
polling,  jointly,  as  we  might  well  have  done,  132,000  votes, 
our  candidates  received  only  120,000,  and  a  fraction  ;  while 
the  numbers  of  our  opponents  were  swelled  by  our  own  po- 
litical friends,  to  the  number  of  128,000  and  upwards.  Of 
the  number,  120,000,  received  by  Mr.  Granger,  it  is  a  fair 
allowance  to  say  that  75,000  were  the  votes  of  real  Anti- 
masons.  This  result  was  greatly  to  be  deplored  by  the 
National  Republican  party,  from  more  considerations  than 
a  simple  defeat.  It  gave  their  opponents  an  artificial  ap- 
pearance of  strength,  well  calculated  to  draw  over  to  them 
the  selfish  and  the  wavering,  whose  business  it  is  to  watch 

60 


474  LETTER  XLII. 

the  political  tides,  ar^d  whose  practice  is  to  float  with  the 
popular  current.  It  also  had  the  further  effect  of  strengthen- 
ing our  opponents,  by  the  accession  of  all  those  whose  princi- 
ples sit  lightly  upon  them,  and  who,  having  once  voted  with 
that  party,  might  easily  be  induced  to  suppose  it  would  re- 
dound to  their  ultimate  interest  to  continue  with  their  new 
associates. 

The  case  of  the  Cooks,  related  in  the  earlier  part  of  the 
present  letter,  is  not  the  only  transaction  connected  with 
the  Anti-masonic  question,  and  deserving  of  note,  which 
occurred  in  that  section  of  the  state  in  the  year  1830.  A 
few  weeks  previously  to  the  election  just  spoken  of,  the 
public  were  surprised  by  a  statement  from  the  north,  of 
another  masonic  outrage,  which,  but  for  a  seemingly  spe- 
cial interposition  of  Providence,  would  have  been  still  fur- 
ther aggravated  by  an  atrocious  murder  !  The  story  was, 
that  an  attempt  had  been  made  upon  the  life  of  a  respecta- 
ble clergyman,  by  the  name  of  Witherell,  (who  had  re- 
nounced the  order  of  Freemasonry,)  by  his  offended  breth- 
ren of  the  "  mystic  tie/*^  In  the  first  instance,  few  if  any 
persons  in  this  section  of  the  state,  were  disposed  to  give 
credence  to  the  tale.  The  death  of  Morgan,  for  having  re- 
vealed the  secrets  of  the  order,  was  not  doubted ;  but  so 
many  persons  had  renounced  their  connexion  with  the  in- 
stitution subsequently  to  that  event,  and  the  boasted  secrets 
were  so  universally  known,  by  all  who-  had  had  suificient 
curiosity  to  inquire  into  them,  that  the  possibility  of  another 
masonic  outrage,  for  such  a  cause,  had  not  been  thought  of. 
Nevertheless,  the  story  was  greedily  caught  up  by  the  An- 
ti-masons, and  the  best  use  made  of  it,  to  promote  their 
cause  during  the  election ;  while  the  opposite  party  was 
equally  active  in  discountenancing  the  narration,  either  as 
a  fiction,  or  an  imposture.  The  publications  were  so  nu- 
merous, violent  and  contradictory,  that,  for  one, — and  I  be- 
lieve I  was  not  alone  in  my  doubts, — I  knew  not  what  to 


LETTER  XLII.  475 

make  of  the  affair.     If  the  relation  was  true,  it  was  a  very 
serious  matter :  if  false,  no  ordinary  punishment  would  ha;ve 
been  too  severe  for  the  authors  of  the  falsehood.     It  was  evi- 
dent, however,  from  the  conduct  of  the  adhering  Masons 
who  were  acting  politically  with  the  administration  party, 
that  there  was  some  foundation  for  the  tale ;  and  among 
other  devices  for  counteracting  its  influence  upon  the  elec- 
tion, the  report  of  a  formal  trial  was  got  up  and  published 
throughout  the  state,  minute  in  all  its  relations  of  time, 
place,  circumstances,  the  names  of  parties,  witnesses,  &c., 
in  which  it  appeared  to  have  been  proved  that  the  whole 
story  of  the  outrage  was  a  fabrication,  or  that  it  had  been 
committed  by  som  emember  of  the  Elder's  own  family,  pro- 
bably with  the  knowledge  of  the  whole.     Before  the  polls 
had  closed,  however,  the  fact  was  disclosed  that  this  report- 
ed trial,  in  all  its  details,  was  in  itself  a  deliberate  forgery  ! 
There  were,  nevertheless,  some  subsequent  legal  proceed- 
ings in  the  premises,  of  a  very  extraordinary  character,  a  full 
report  of  which,  of  formidable  length,  was  published  by  a 
committee  of  the  citizens  of  Washington  county,  early  in 
the  year  1831.     Still,  this  publication  was  considered  alto- 
gether ex  parte ;  it  was  too  long  for  general  perusal ;  and 
made  but  little  impression  upon  the  public  mind.     For  my- 
self I  yet  knew  not  what  to  believe ;  but  as  the  case  was 
one  coming  within  the  scope  of  my  present  investigations, 
I  resolved  to  probe  it  to  the  bottom.     With  this  view  I  ad- 
dressed a  letter  some  weeks  since,  to  a  distinguished  and 
valued  friend,  residing  in  the  neighborhood  where  the  trans- 
actions were  said  to  have  taken  place,  for  such  an  account 
of  the  strange  and  yet  mysterious  aftair,  as  might  be  fully 
depended  upon.     The  following  ample  letter  reached  me  a 
few  days  since,  in  answer  to  my  inquiries.     I  submit  it  to 
your  consideration,  with  the  fullest  assurance  that  my  cor- 
respondent is  a  man  of  the  strictest  integrity,-  and  the  most 
scrupulous  veracity : — 


476  LETTER  XLII. 

"  In  answering  your  request  to  communicate  to  you  '  all  I  know'  in  rela- 
tion to  the  alledged  outrage  upon  the  family  of  Elder  George  Witherell,  I 
have  to  remark, that  it  is  a  long  story,  and  a  minute  detail  would  weary  both 
you  and  myself.  Your  request  implies  a  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  history  of 
that  transaction,  and  the  circumstances  growing  out  of  it,  already  before 
the  public.  How  shall  I  assure  myself  that  my  narration  will  be  thought 
entitled  to  more  credit?  At  the  same  time,  I  feel  that  the  request  has  been 
made  in  the  sincere  desire  to  learn  the  truth,  and  it  implies  also  a  friendly 
confidence  in  the  source  to  which  you  have  applied  for  information.  Under 
the  influence  of  the  feelings  prompted  by  these  reflections,  I  have  resolved 
to  attenript  a  compliance.  The  task  truly  is  somewhat  formidable,  and  its 
execution,  while  it  dissipates  your  doubts,  wiJ  excite  your  astonishment  and 
may  exhaust  your  patience. 

"You  inquire  who  is  Mr.  Witherell?  It  is  a  pertinent  question,  and  de- 
serves a  specific  answer.  He  is  a  Baptist  elder ;  and  for  the  last  ten  or 
twelve  years  has  presided  over  the  Baptist^churchin  the  town  of  Hartford. 
In  that  station,  he  has,  during  all  this  time,  been  a  faithful  and  respectable 
minister  of  the  gospel,  administering  its  ordinances,  and  teaching  its  doc- 
trines to  a  numerous  and  intelligent  community  of  christians.  Hartford  is 
a  rich  agricultural  town,  in  this  county,  and  Elder  Witherell'a  society  con- 
sisted principally  of  its  farmers,  distinguished  for  their  sobriety,  religious  de- 
votion and  industrious  habits.  In  this  town,  are  two  small  villages,  distant 
about  a  mile  from  each  other.  In  one  of  them  the  Elder's  church  is  located, 
near  which  he  resides.  In  the  other  village,  there  is  a  Presbyterian  church. 
In  both,  is  the  ordinary  number  of  professional  gentlemen,  justices,  petti- 
foggers and  constables,  with  a  competent  provision  of  stores,  taverns  and 
mechanic's  shops.  Here,  too,  is  a  masonic  lodge.  The  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  being  principally  farmers,  lived  dispersed  through  the  town,  at 
some  distance  from  the  village,  while  their  inhabitants  belonged  to  no  par- 
ticular denomination  of  christians.  There  were  the  clerks,  bar-tenders, 
ostlers  and  apprentices.  I  state  these  circumstances,  because  I  think  they 
contain  important  testimony,  furnishing  some  explanation  of  an  extraordina- 
ry transaction,  still  shrouded  in  mystery  and  darkness.  A  large  portion  of 
these  villagers  were,  and  still  are,  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  and 
among  them  were  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Un- 
der these  circumstances,  it  was  not  surprising,  that  Elder  Witherell  yielded 
to  the  same  inducements  which  have  led  so  many  clergymen  of  our  country, 
to  seek  light  and  knowledge  in  the  lodge.  He  became  a  Mason,— and  not 
discovering  the  anticipated  revelations  in  the  lower  degrees,  he  pressed  for- 
ward to  detect  those  that  were  concealed  in  the  higher.  He  advanced  to 
the  degree  of  Knight  Templar,  and  as  you  may  reasonably  suppose,  was 
cherished  and  caressed  by  the  lay  members,  as  a  worthy  and  accepted 
brother. 


LETTER  XLII.  477 

"  This  was  the  relation  in  which  Elder  Witherell  stood,  to  the  community 
in  which  he  lived,  when  the  storj'  of  the  abduction  and  murder  of  Morgan, 
astonished  the  public  by  its  boldness  and  atrocity,  and  directed  its  inqui- 
ries to  the  constitution  and  character  of  Freemasonry.  The  Baptist  de- 
nomination of  christians  in  our  country,  have  been  foremost  in  subjecting 
Freemasonry  to  the  test  of  religious  discipline.  A  large  majority  of  Mr. 
Witherell's  church  knew,  indeed,  that  their  pastor  was  a  Mason,  but  knew 
nothing  of  Masonry,  Save  from  its  recent  developements  at  the  west,  and  the 
publications  of  the  day.  They  called  upon  their  elder  to  aver  or  deny  their 
truth.  Like  most  other  Masons,  whose  consciences  have  been  awakened 
to  the  subject,  he  hesitated  between  the  responsibilities  of  his  masonic  obli- 
gations and  association,  and  the  convictions  of  religious  duty.  He  propos- 
ed to  abstain  from  any  further  communications  with  the  lodge,  but  asked  to 
be  excused  for  the  present,  from  a  more  decided  renunciation.  With  such 
evidence  before  them  of  the  character  of  the  institution  as  recent  events  fur- 
nished, this  did  not  satisfy  his  church.  In  the  mean  time  ,  the  neighboring 
Masons,  both  in  and  out  of  his  church,  were  apprised  of  what  was  going  on, 
and  made  a  vigorous  rally  to  support  their  brother  in  the  conflict  to  which 
he  was  exposed.  They  offered  to  add  two  hundred  dollars  to  the  stipend 
paid  him  by  his  church,  and  to  make  good  that  stipend,  should  it  be  with- 
drawn, or  he  be  dismissed  by  his  congregation.  The  reward  offered,  (to 
give  it  no  harsher  name,)  was  raised  by  contribution,  bearing  the  names  of 
some  of  the  county  officials,  residing  more  than  ten  miles  distant,  and  who, 
far  from  being  Baptists,  seldom  visited  any  church.  The  character  of  the 
transaction,  as  M'ell  as  that  of  the  contributors,  fortifies  the  assertion,  that 
the  object  was  to  sustain  Masonry,  rather  than  to  support  a  christian  minis- 
ter. They  were  more  anxious  that  the  Elder  should  maintain  hi»  fellowship 
with  the  lodge  than  with  the  church. 

"  Butj  finally,  aftei-  a  severe  mental  conflict,  a  sense  of  duty  prevailed 
over  considerations  of  interest,  and  the  Elder  publicly  renounced  Freema- 
sonry and  forfeited  the  pecuniary  reward.  Ii»«  Biasonic  apostacy  instantly 
exposed  the  Elder  to  the  usual  privations  and  disabilities.  He  encountered 
at  once,  the  most  active  and  vindictive  resentments  and  persecutions  of  the 
entire  masonic  fraternity,  of  his  own  and  the  adjoining  towns.  They  with- 
drew their  subscription  and  their  fellowship — stigmatized  him  as  'a  fool,' 
for  having  forfeited  such  pecuniary  advantages  ;  and  as  a  'perjured  scoun- 
drel,' for  haying  violated  his  masonic  obhgations. 

"It  was  immediately  given  out  by  the  riiost  prominent  Masons  of  the 
village,  Uhat  Elder  Witherc'',  conldnot  reside  there  ;^  and  so  far  as  personal 
abuse,  threats  and  intimidations  could  prevail,  they  seemed  resolved  to  ful- 
fil their  own  prediction. 

"In  this  uncomfortable  posture  of  affairs,  in  the  casual  absence  of  the 
Elder,  on  the  27th  of  September,  1830,  at  or  about  the  hour  ofmidnightj 


478  LETTER  XLII. 

two  men  disguised  in  masks,  with  a  dark  lantern,  armed  with  a  dirk-cane, 
or  long  knife,  so  polished  as  to  reflect  the  light,  entered  the  Elder's  house, 
wandered  from  one  door  to.  another,  leading  to  the  chauiber  and  adjoining 
rooms,  and  shortly  entered  the  bed  room  of  Mrs.  AVitherell.     One  instantly 
seized  her  by  the  throat,  and  while  seeming  to  make  a  pass  at  her  head  with 
the  other  hand,  exclaimed,  '  you  damned  perjured  scoundrel,  you  shall  suffer  the 
^penalties  of  your  obligations.''     The  other,  holding  the  dark  lantern,  and  the 
knife  or  dirk,  presented  the  light  to  the  bed.     They  immediately  left  the 
house^  on  discovering  that  the  Elder  was  absent.     They  wore  no  hats,  and 
their  disguises  appeared  like  black  silk  handkerchiefs,  tied  over  their  faces 
and  heads.     Mrs.  Witherell  was  at  this  time,  alone,  with  her  family  of  small 
children,  the  eldest  of  whom,  George  R.  Witherell,  a  lad  then  about  fourteen 
years  of  age,  slept  in  an  adjoining  room  ;  on  hearing  the  exclamation  in  his 
mother's  bed  room,  he  sprang  from  his  bed,  terrified  and  cried  out,  *  father 
*  have  you  come  home !  father  have  you  come  home  !'    You  ask  me,  if  I  be- 
lieve that  this  outrage  was  actually  conimitted?   I  answer,  that  the  evidence 
and  circumstances  of  the  case  do  not  admit  of  a  rational  doubt.     The  facts 
already  stated,  it  is  true,  depend,  of  necessity,  upon  the  testimony  of  Mrs. 
Witherell  and  her  son,  whose  veracity  had  never  before  been  questioned, 
and  cannot,  how,  be  impeached.     It  will  hete  be  remembered,  that  the  Ma- 
sons themselves,  had  already  borne  ample  testimony  to  the  good  reputation 
of  the  Elder  and  his  family,  by  their  great  exertions  to  retain  him  in  their  ser- 
vice.  But  there  were  independent  circumstances  proved  by  other  witnesses, 
which  cannot  lie,  and  which  remove  all  doubt,  if  any  existed.   The  boy  imme- 
diately alarmed  the  neighborhood,  and  a  Mr.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Chase  came  in. 
It  was  a  rainy  night,  muddy  foot-steps  were  distinctly  imprinted  upon  the  floor 
and  traceable  from  the  house,  and  the  track  of  a  waggon  could  also  be  fol- 
lowed some  rods,  where  it  was  lost  upon  a  hard  surface  of  slate  or  gravel. 
Another  characteristic  occurrence  was  a  shrill  whistling  heard  at  the  same 
time,  apparently  in  a  remote  field.     These  facts  were  proved  both  by  Mrs. 
Chase  and  Mr.  Smith.      At  the  time,  too,  the  facts  were  not  denied,  and 
seemed,  undeniable.    The  Masons,  instead  of  contradicting,  were  most  anx- 
jous  to  resist  the  impUcation  against  themselves,  by  charging  the  transaction 
to  a  conspiracy  of  the  Anti-masons  with  the  elder,  and  to  this  effect  they  in- 
dustriously circulated  the  story  in  all  directions,  the  next  morning,  to  the 
distance  of  many  miles.    The  character  of  Elder  Witherell,  and  his  friends 
in  Hartford,  forbids  the  indulgence  of  the  shghtest  suspicion  of  this  kind, 
especially  in  the  absence  of  any  assignable  motive.     This  additional  oulrage 
was  not  needed  to  strengthen  their  abhorrence  or  confirm  their  condemna- 
tion of  Masonry.    Besides,  the  charge  of  conspiracy,  thus  hastily  alledged, 
indicated,  a  consciousness  of  guilt,  or  at  least  a  just  suspicion  of  it. 

"  To  repel  tliis  sudden  and  infamous  charge,  and  in  compliance  with  the 
advice  of  friends,  the  affidavits  of  Mrs.  Witherell  and  her  son,  stating  their 
iinowledge  of  tlie  transaction  as  it  occurred,  were  drawn  up,  and  Slade  D. 


LETTER  XLII.  470 

Brown,  Esq.,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  residing  in  the  same  village,  requested 
to  administer  the  oath.  This  he  declined  Jot  want  of  jimsdiction^  and  because 
he  would  not  administer  an  extra-judicial  oath  I ! 

"  A  similar  application  was  made  to  Solomon  S.  Cowen,  Esq.,  another 
justice  of  Hartford,  (not  residing  in  the  village,)  and  another  Royal  Arch 
Mason.  And  he,  too,' refused  to  administer  an  extra-judicial  oath  ! !  These 
proceedings  were  had  at  an  informal  meeting,  composed  indiscriminately  of 
Masons  and  Anti-masons,  some  of  whom  were  from  the  adjoining  town  of 
Fort  Ann. 

"  On  the  refusal  of  these  Royal  Arch  Justices  to  administer  an  extra-judi- 
cial oath !  recourse  was  had  to  Arhoa  T.  Bush,  Esq.,  of  Hort  Ann,  who,  not 
being  a  Mason,  was  less  scrupulous.  He  administered  the  oath,  and  the 
affidavits  were  made  and  published.  The  citizens  of  Fort  Ann^  for  the  pur- 
pose of  searching  out  the  agents  in  this  nefarious  transaction,  instituted  a 
committee  of  investigation,  composed  of  Masons  and  Anti-masons.  Subse- 
quent events  soon  evinced  the  zeal  and  sincerity  of  the  masonic  part  of  this 
committee,  not  in  searching  out  the  perpetrators  of  the  outrage,  but  in  sus- 
taining Freemasonry  against  the  influence  of  the  aforesaid  affidavits. .  They 
repaired  hastily  to  Hartford,  and  there,  with  the  above  mentioned  Royal 
Arch  justices,  and. other  Masons,  plotted  a  most  extraordinary  conspiracy. 
It  was  thought  indispensable  to  prostrate  the  reputation  of  Mrs.  Witherell, 
and  her  son.  To  this  purpose,  the  authority  of  office,  and  the  forms  of  law, 
were  made  subservient.  No  circumstance  had  yet  transpired  directing  even 
suspicion  against  any  individual,  and  no  person  could  therefore  make  the  re- 
quisite oath,  charging  any  individual  with  offence.  The  object,  therefore, 
was  not  to  detect  and  punish  the  alledged  offence,  but  to  institute  the  form 
of  a  legal  proceeding,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  impeaching  the  witnesses  call- 
ed to  prove  the  charge.  It  would  be  difficult  to  explain  how  such  a  scheme 
could  be  executed  without  perjury,  and  the  gross  violation  of  official  duty. 
It  was  nevertheless  devised,  and  executed,  under  the  counsel  and  active  par- 
ticipation of  the  magistrate  who  was  to  act  the  part  of  the  examining  justice. 
But  the  co-operation  of  the  person  who  was  to  play  the  criminal,  was  as  in- 
dispensable as  that  of  the  justice,  and  he  was  selected  by  concert  and  agree- 
ment, and  his  consent  obtained!  Benjamin  Hyde,  the  village  tavern-keep- 
er, and  also  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  was  first  proposed,  and  Solomon  S.  Cow- 
en,  ^sq,,  who  afterwards  took  part  in  the  pretended  examination,  actually 
apphed  to  him  to  stand  criminal.  The  tavern-keeper  very  properly  declined 
the  honor,  not  from  a  motive  indica^tive  of  a  high  sense  of  honor  or  proprie- 
ty, but  from  an  apprehension  that  it  might  injure  his  tavern.  An  applica- 
tion to  Alonzo  Hyde,  his  son,  was  more  successful.  He  entered  into  the 
plan  with  great  readiness.  The  scheme  was  now  fully  matured.  Slade  D. 
Brown,  the  said  justice,  drew  the  complaint,  setting  out  the  principal  facts 
stated  in  the  affidavits  of  Mrs.  Witherell  and  her  son.  Colonel  John  Hilli- 
but,  of  Fort  Ann  J  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  made  oath  that  he  believed  them 


480  LETTER  XLII* 

true.     Alanson  Allen,  another  Royal  Arch  Mason,  swore  that  he  '  was  in- 

*  formed  that  it  was  nimored,  or  reported,  or  suspected  that  Alonzo  Hyde  was 

*  one  of  the  persons  implicated.^  On  this  vague  bath,  the  said  justice  issued 
his  warrant  in  the  name  of  the  people,  and  young  Hyde  was  arrested.  All 
the  parties  to  this  afiair,  thus  far,  except  young  Hyde,  were  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons, and  all  this  was  done  with  the  full  knowledge  by  the  said  justice  and 
all  the  parties,  that  young  Hyde  was  not  even  suspected  of  the  offence. 

"The  conspiracy  against  Elder  Witherell  and  his  family,  is  prominent  and 
palpable.  The  court  was  organized,  and  what  followed  was  in  good  keep- 
ing with  what  has  been  already  related.  Process  was  issued  for  Elder  Wi- 
therell, his  wife,  and  son,  to  appear  as  witnesses  in  behalf  of  the  people. 
They  were  arrested  and  taken  into  custody,  and  the  prisoner  Hyde  permitted  to 
go  at  large  I  Elder  Witherell  and  his  wife  were  confined  in  separate  apart- 
ments, on  pretence  of  ensuring  their  attendance,  and  of  preventing  concert- 
ed testimony.  They  were  examined  in  succession  in  a  manner  comporting 
with  the  character  of  the  whole  proceeding,  and  its  obvious  design.  Three 
days  were  expended  in  questioning  and  cross-questioning  these  three  wit- 
nesses. They  were  subjected  to  every  possible  privation  and  indignity,  and 
treated  like  culprits  rather  than  witnesses.  They  bore  the  whole  with  due 
patience  and  meekness,  and  repeated  over  and  over  again  the  same  story 
detailed  in  their  affidavits.  Of  course,  not  one  word  was  testified  implicat- 
ing young  Hyde,  or  any  other  known  individual.  And  yet  a  multitude  of 
masonic  witnesses  were  called  to  impeach  their  credibility.  And  this  same 
family,  whom  but  a  few  weeks  before,  these  same  Masons  were  anxious  to 
retain  among  them,  and  for  which  purpose  they  had  actually  raised  a  hberal 
subscription,  were  now  pronounced,  by  them,  infamous  and  unworthy  of 
credit  for  repeating  on  this  examination,  the  same  story  detailed  in  their  affi- 
davits. It  will  here  be  remembered,  that  these  affidavits  had  been  taken 
after  an  open  public  examination,  and  that  tlie  oath  of  Colonel  John  Hillibut, 
one  of  the  fraternity,  affirming  his  belief  of  their  truth,  was  the  sole  basis 
upon  which  all  these  proceedings  rested.  A  parallel  cannot  be  cited  in  the 
history  of  jurisprudence.  A  more  gross  perversion  of  the  forms  of  law,  and 
of  official  authority,  for  the  purposes  of  slander,  and  detraction,  and  malevo- 
lence, and  oppression,  has  never  been  practised.  The  court  gravely  discharg- 
ed the  prisoner,  but  convicted  the  witnesses  for  the  people,  by  solemnly  ad- 
judging them  unworthy  of  credit,  and  that  no  outrage  had  been  committed  ! 
A  long  report  of  the  trial  was  immediately  drawn  out  by  Mr.  Justice  Brown, 
and' the  testimony  discolored  and  misrepresented  in  a  manner  to  further  the 
design  of  the  examination.  This  was  forthwith  published  in  all  the  masonic 
papers  throughout  the  state.  Not  to  exhaust  your  patience,  and  to  confine 
myself  within  reasonable  limits,!  am  constrained  to  exclude  several  charac- 
teristic features  of  the  transaction,  and  all  the  detail  of  the  testimony.  These 
have  already  been  given  to  the  public  in  a  minute  and  able  report  upon  the 
subject,  dr^wn  up  by  a  committee  of  gentlemen  appointed  for  the  purpose, 


LETTER  XLII,  481 

by  a  convention  of  the  Anti-masons  of  the  county  of  Washington,  to  which, 
for  more  specific  information,  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you. 

.  "  On«a  review  of  the  whole  affair,  it  must  occur  to  every  one,  that  the  out- 
rage of  breaking  and  entering  the  private  dwelling  of  Elder  Witherell,  *  in 
*  the  night  time,  and  putting  his  family  in  fear,'  scarcely  exceeded  the  profli- 
gacy of  the  pretended  examination.  It  must  ever  remain  doubtful  which 
was  the  greater  offence  against  private  right  and  public  justice  and  decency. 
It  is  to  little  purpose  that  the  first  should  be  denied,  while  the  last  stands 
confessed." 


-The  letter  of  my  friend  bears  its  own  commentary  upon 
its  face.  As  to  the  outrage  itself,  its  objects,  and  the  names  of 
its  authors,  are  alike  shrowded  in  doubt  and  mystery.  Of 
the  conduct  of  the  Masons,,  however,  subsequently,  there 
can  be  but  one  opinion. 

In  November  of  the  present  year,  (1830,)  James  Gillis, 
in  whose  case  the  jury  had  not,  on  a  former  occasion,  been 
able  to  agree,  was  again  tried  at  the  Ontario  Sessions,  and 
acquitted.  No  objections  were  raised  by  the  special  coun- 
sel to  the  sitting  of  Masons  as  jurors  upon  this  trial.  Gil- 
lis, it  may  be  recollected,  had  removed  from  the  state,  to  the 
southwestern  part  of  Pennsylvania,  shortly  after  the  out- 
rage. He  took  with  him  an  important  witness,  whom  those 
interested  managed  to  keep  away.  The  consequence  was, 
that  on  this  second  trial,  all  the  testimony  against  him  was 
of  a  circumstantial  character  only,  and  was  not  considered 
sufficiently  strong  to  justify  a  conviction. 

At  the  opening  of  the  session  of  the  legislature,  January 
5th,  1831,  the  Governor  again,  and  probably  for  the  last  , 
time,  directed  the  attention  of  that  branch  of  the  govern- 
ment to  the  subject  of  these  prosecutions.  He  mentioned  ' 
the  resignation  of  the  special  .counsel  in  May,  as  an  event 
equally  sudden  and  unexpected ;  and  as  he  had  "  deemed 
«  it  his  duty  to  omit  no  proper  measures  for  the  vigorous 
"  prosecution  of  those  trials,"  he  announced  the  appoint- 
ments of  Messrs.  Birdseye  and  Whiting,  to  continue  the 
legal  proceedings  left  unfinished  by  Mr.  Spencer. 

61 


482  LETTER.  XLII. 

"  It  was  much  to  be  regretted,"  his  excellency  said,  "that  the  ample 
provisions  heretofore  made  by  special  statutes,  to  punish  the  actors  in  this 
conspiracy,  have  not  produced  results  as  favorable  to  the  cause  of  Vindica- 
tory justice,  as  all  well-wishers  to  good  order  have  desired.  Money  has 
been  placed  at  the  discretionary  disposal  of  the  officer  intrusted  with  the  pro- 
secutions, and  has  been  liberally  expended  by  him.  No  item  which  he  has 
certified  to  be  necessary,  has  been  rejected  by  the  accounting  officer,  and  no 
justifiable  aid,  within  the  constitutional  power  of  the  Executive,  during  my 
administration,  has  been  withheld.  It  is  but  justice  to  myself  to  say,  that  in 
all  cases  where  the  Executive  arm  was  necessary  to  reach  fugitives,  who 
had  taken  shelter,  from  the  ordinary  process  of  our  courts,  within  the  juris- 
diction of  other  states,  it  has  been  stretched  iout  for  that  purpose ;  and  that 
where,  from  accidental  causes,  courts  were  Hke  to  fail,  for  want  of  presiding 
officers,  my  exertions  have  always  been  unremitted,  and  uniformly  success- 
ful, to  sustain  them." 

Something  in  regard  to  this  matter,  by  way  of  a  vindi- 
cation of  his  own  conduct,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Gov- 
ernor should  say,  after  the  severity  of  his  arraignment  be- 
fore the  public  by  the  late  special  counsel.  Less  in  his  own 
defence,  than  what  I  have  just  quoted,  could  not  have  been 
expected.      More  would  have  betrayed  a  want  of  dignity. 

The  report  of  Mr.  Birdseye,  communicated  with  the  mes- 
sage of  his  excellency,  comprised  a  succinct  history  of  his 
proceedings  under  the  special  commission.  Much  of  what 
he  stated,  however,  has  already  appeared  in  the  condensed 
histories  of  the  trials  conducted  by  him,  already  presented 
to  your  consideration.  On  the  trial  of  Jewctt,  Giddings, 
who  had  been  subpoenaed  as  a  witness,  suddenly  absconded. 
His  reasons  for  so  doing  will  appear  hereaftej,  as  stated  by 
himself.  It  will  be  recollected  (hat  this  man  had  been  in- 
troduced as  a  witness  on  the  trial  of  Bruce  aiid  others,  in 
1828,  and  rejected  in  consequence  of  his  infidehty.  Mr. 
Birdseye,  in  the  report  before  me,  states  one  incident  in  re- 
gard to  this  witness,  which  it  is  important  should  be  preserv- 
ed here,  because  of  its  bearing  upon  trials  yet  to  be  narra- 
ted. On  the  arrival  of  the  special  counsel  at  Lockport,  to 
prosecute  the  case  of  Jewett,  he  says : 


I^ETTER  XLII.  483 

"'i  was  addressed  by  the  defendant's  counsel,  to  knowif  I  should  examine 
Giddings.  I  took  time  to  ascertain  all  the  facts,  so  as  to  answer  under- 
standin^ly,  but  reciprocating  the  freedom  which  had  dictated  the  inquiry,  I 
asked  the  defendant's  counsel  to  say  to  me  whether,  if  he  were  examined, 
any  attack  would  be  niade  upon  his  character  for  truth  and  veracity.  I  re- 
ceived for  answer  that  his  character,  in  that  respect,  would  not  be  attacked,  for 
THEY  KNEW  IT  coFLD  NOT  BE.  Haviug  made  deliberate  examination  as  to 
the  extent  of  the  testimony  in  the  power  of  the  prosecution  to  produce,  to 
sustain  him  on  the  matter  of  fact  ruled  against  him  in  Ontario  ;  and  also 
having  formed  a  most  deliberate  conviction  that  that  decision  was  erroneous 
in  point  of  law,  and  after  the  assurance  of  the  defendant's  counsel  as  to  his 
character  for  truth  and  veracity,  which  I  found  confirmed  on  inquiry,  I  felt 
bound  to  say  that  I  should  examine  him  if  permitted." 

In  adverting  to  the  case  of  the  witness  at  Lockport,  who 
persisted,  on  the  trial  of  Jewett,  in  swearing  impliedly  to 
the  murder  of  Morgan,  in  order,  to  protect  himself  from  an- 
swering the  questions  put  to  him ;  swearing,  as  the  reason 
for  such  refusal,  that  he  might  thereby  implicate  himself  as 
an  accessary  before  the  fact,  in  the  murder,  and  persisting 
in  the  answers,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  Judge  that  he 
would  perjure  himself  by  such  answers,  unless  Morgan  was 
in  fact  murdered,  and  unless  he  knew  of  the  fact,  and  that  if 
the  laws  of  man  did  not  punish  him,  the  laws  of  God  would, — 
the  special .  counsel  suggested  whether  the  constitutional 
guarantee  that  no  man  in  a  criminal  case  should  be  compel- 
led to  be  a  witness  against  himself,  ought  not  to  be  placed  by 
a  general  statute  upon  a  different  footing  than  that  of  judi- 
cial immunity  from  testifying,  on  the  ground  that  such  testi- 
mony' may  be  subsequently  used  for  the  conviction  of  the 
witness.  "  Ought  not,"  asks  the  special  counsel,  "  the  wit- 
«  ness  to  be  compelled  to  testify ;  and  would  not  his  secu- 
"  rity  from  any  ill  effects  of  such  disclosure  be  sufficient,  if 
"that  testimony  were  inadmissible  in  any  criminal  case 
«  against  himself?"  A  general  statute,  the  special  counsel 
thought,  would  be  preferable  to  any  common  law  practice 
of  favoritism,  or  the  practice  of  giving  rewards  to  witness- 
es to  testify  ;  a  practice  occasionally  resorted  to  by  most 


484  LETTER  XLIir. 

governments,  but  not  congenial  to  the  feelings  of  our  peo- 
ple. 

In  the  course  of  his  report,  the  special  counsel  mentioned 
the  fact  that  Judge  Gardinei%  of  the  eighth  circuit,  had  re- 
fused to  try  any  more  of  these  causes  ;  and  he  expressed  a 
wish  that  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  might  find 
it  convenient  to  hold  the  circuit  in  Niagara,  which,  in  con- 
sequence of  Judge  Gardiner's  refusal,  had  been  adjourned 
over  to  the  second  Monday  in  February. 

In  concluding  his  report,  this  officer  passed  a  high  com- 
pliment upon  Mr.  Whiting,  who  had  been  associated  with 
him  by  the  Governor,  after  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Spencer. 
His  previous  acquaintance  with  the  facts  and  questions 
arising  in  these  investigations,  as  well  as  his  local  and  per- 
sonal information  of  the  whole  subject,  added  to  his  talents 
and  experience  as  a  lawyer,  rendered  his  aid  most  welcome ; 
and  his  assistance  was  found  very  essential. 

I  am,  sir,  &c. 


LETTER    XLIII. 

New- York,  March  26,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  fate  of  William  Morgan,  as  far,  probably,  as  it  will 
ever  be  disclosed  by  human  testimony,  will  now  rapidly  be 
developed.  Another  special  circuit  was  held  in  the  county 
of  Niagara,  commencing  in  February,  1831,  and  extending 
considerably  into  the  month  of  March.  His  Honor  Judgje 
Nelson,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  presiding.  At  this  circuit, 
all  the  pending  indictments  in  the  case  of  Morgan,  which  it 
was  believed  the  public  good  required  to  be  proceeded  with, 
were  disposed  of.  The  two  principal  trials  were,  1st,  that 
of  The  People  vs.  Elisha  Adams ;  and,  2d,  the  same  vs.  Park- 


LETTER  XLIII.  4B5 

hurst  Whitney,  Timothy  Shaw,  Noah  Beach,  WilHam  Mil- 
ler, and  Samuel  Chubbuck.  Both  trials  were  severely  con- 
tested, and  of  long  continuance.  But  as  the  alledged  par- 
ticipation of  the  defendants  in  the  transaction,  took  place 
while  Morgan  was  in  and  about  Fort  Niagara,  and  as  far 
the  greater  part  of  the  testimony  was  the  same  on  both  tri- 
als, I  have  thought  it  best  to  unite  them  in  a  single  narra- 
tive. For  all  the  necessary  "purposes  of  history,  this  course 
will  answer  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  a  separate  outline  of 
the  respective  trials ;  while  time  and  labor  will  alike  be 
saved,  both  to  writer  and  reader. 

The  trial  of  Adams  commenced  on  the  24th  of  February. 
That  of  the  other  parties  above  mentioned,  who  were  im- 
pleaded together,  on  the  28th.  Much  difficulty  was  expe- 
rienced, on  both  trials,  in  obtaining  a  jury, — the  greater 
number  of  the  panel  having  been  set  aside  for  having  form- 
ed, opinions  against  the  defendants.  A  man  by  the  name 
of  Raymond,  a  Freemason,  was  drawn  upon  both  trials, 
and  excluded  in  each  instance,  by  the  court,  for  ^n  unwil- 
lingness to  disclose  the  obligations  he  took  as  a  Mason,  un- 
less the  court  should  require  it ;  and  also  for  having  object- 
ed to  doing  so,  unless  the  court  should  peremptorily  require 
it  of  him,  and  for  appealing  to  the  court  for  that  purpose. 
The  next  juror  called  in  the  case  of  Whitney  and  others, 
said  he  had  formed  an  opinion  ;  but  he  had  taken  three  de- 
grees in  Masonry,  and  had  never  taken  any  oath,  that,  ac- 
cording to  his  understanding  of  it,  required  him  to  do  any 
thing  contrary  to  the  strict  laws  of  morality,  and  religion, 
and  the  laws  of  the  country.  It  was  enjoined  by  the  rules 
of  Masonry,  he  said,  to  be  gnod  citizens,  and  obey  the  laws. 
He  never  felt  himself  under  any  obligations  whatever  to 
show  any  favor  to  a  brother  Mason  as  a  juror  or  witness. 
[On  the  trial  of  Adams,  when  .told  •  by  the  court  he  must 
disclose  his  obligations,  the  juror  remarked  that  he  thought 
it  was  driving  a  man  to  a  great  extremity.] 


486  LETTER  XLIII. 

Edward  Bissell,  a  very  respectable  citizen  of  Lockport, 
and  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  was  called,  and  challenged  to  the 
favor,  by  the  special  counsel.  The  obligation  of  the  Royal 
Arch  degree,  as  disclosed  in  Barnard's  Light  on  Masonry, 
having  been  read,  to  him,  he  was  asked  whether  he  had  tak- 
en the  same  in  substance,  to  which  question,  according  to 
the  report  from  the  office  of  the  Lockport  Balance,  politely 
furnished  me  by  the  Judge,  Mr.  B.  said: — 

"  The  oaths  I  took  were  materially  different ;  murder  and  treason  were 
expressly  excepted,  and  there  was  nothing  said  in  the  oaths  I  have  taken 
about  pohtical  preferment,  nor  about  voting  for  a  brother  Mason  in  prefer- 
ence to  any  other  man,  as  mentioned  in  the  book.  That  part  of  the  obliga- 
tion which  requires  to  assist  a  brother  Mason  out  of  trouble,  whether  nght 
or  wrong,  is  always  explained  in  the  lodges  to  mean,  and  I  have  always  un- 
derstood it  to  mean,  like  this  : — if  I  should  see  a  brother  Mason  in  a  quar- 
rel wdth  another  man,  it  would  be  my  duty  to  go  to  him,  and  by  reminding 
him  of  his  duty  as  a  Mason,  endeavor  to  get  him  away  without  inquiring 
whether  he  was  on  the  right  or  wrong  side  of  the  question.  It  would  be  my 
duty  to  prevent  the  quarrel  if  possibjle.  I  think  the  oaths  morally  binding ; 
and  should  think  it  dishonorable  to  violate  them  without  a  cause.  I  look 
upon  them  In  the  same  light  that  I  should  a  solemn  pledge  of  my  honor  in 
any  other  case.  The  whole  tenor  and  object  of  the  lectures  and  other  pro- 
ceedings, is  to  inculcate  a  strict  obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  country,  and  a 
faithful  observance  of  the  rules  of  moraUty  and  religion.  With  regard  to 
that  part  relative  to  keeping  a  worthy  brother's  secrets,  if  a  brother  Mason 
should  communicate  to  me  a  secret  involving  the  commission  or  concealment 
of  a  legal  or  moral  crime,  I  should  not  consider  him  a  icorthy  brother,  and  of 
course  should  be  under  no  obligations  to  keep  it.  In  any  legal  proceedings, 
I  should  feel  myself  under  no  obligations,  on  any  account,  to  favor  a  brother 
Mason  more  than  any  other  man.     The  juror  was  admitted  and  sworn." 

I  have  quoted  this  explanation  thus  at  length,  because  it 
so  closely  corresponds  with  my  own  vievTS,  heretofore  giv- 
en, of  the  nature  of  the  same  Qbligation,~which  views,  or 
more  properly  explanations,  were  written  two  months  be- 
fore this  report  had  fallen  under  my  observation. 

The  first  witness  called  upon  both  trials,  was  Loton  Law- 
son,  who  gave  an  account  of  the  taking  of  Morgan  away 
from  the  jail  in  Canandaigua.     Before  Morgan  was  put  in- 


LETTER  XLIII.  487 

to  the  jail,  witness  had  had  some  conversation  with  him  in 
regard  to  his^  proposed  book.  Morgan  said  he  was  in  a 
scrape  with  Miller,  and  wished  to  get  out  of  it.  Witness 
went  to  Rochester,  to  communicate  to  some  Masons  that 
Morgan  was  willing  to  be  privately  carried  awiay.  On 
his  return  Morgan  was  taken  out  of  jail,  as  heretofore  rela- 
ted. Lawson  denied  that  he  gave  a  signal  at  the  door  of 
the  jail,  although  he  heard  a  whistle,  but.  did  not  believe  it 
was  connected  with  that  affair.  No  force  was  used  in  tak- 
ing him  from  the  jail.  After  he  had  left  it  a  few  rods,  an- 
other man  came  up,  and  said,  "  Morgan,  you  are  my  prison- 
"  er,"  upon  which  the  latter  cried  murder;  but  on  being 
assured  that  he  would  not  be  hurt,  he  was  pacified.  No 
force  was  used  in  putting  him  into  the  carriage,  neither  was 
he  blindfolded,  or  bound.  He  conversed  as  any  body  else 
would,  and  went  willingly ;  sometimes  the  curtains  were 
up,  and  sometimes  down  ; — Morgan  wished  them  to  be 
closed,  that  he  might  travel  privately,  and  be  kept  away 
from  Miller,  or  from  his  knowledge,— -that  he  might  not  be 
followed  by  him.  On  their  arrival  at  Hanford's,  Morgan 
made  no  objection  to  the  change  of  carriages  ;  he  was  not 
intoxicated,  or  drowsy,  and  nothing  was  given  to  make  him 
so.  Witness  went  with  the  carriage  to  Gaines,  at  which 
place  he  took  another  conveyance,  and  struck  off  to  Lock- 
port,  where  he  passed  the  night,  and  went  into  Lewiston,  to 
the  installation,  on  the  following  morning.  He  did  not, 
while  there,  hear  of  Morgan's  making  any  noise  at  the  fort ; 
he  was  not  himself  at  the  fort,  and  had  never  been  there 
He  saw  Parkhurst  Whitney  at  the  installation, — he  being 
one  of  the  officers.  He  believed  Whitney  went  down  to 
Youngstown,  [to  the  fort,]  in  the.  boat,  but  was  not  certain.. 
When  Morgan  was  asked  why  he  had  made  the  noise  after 
leaving  the  jail,  he  said  he  was  sorry  he  had  made  such  a 
fuss.  Witness  saw  no  restraint  used  upon  Morgan,  on  any 
subject,  during  the  day ;  it  was  fine  weather,  and  they  had 


488  LETTER   XLIII/ 

a  pleasant  ride.  He  complained  much  of  Miller,  who  was 
to  have  paid  him  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  but  he  had 
not  furnished  money  enough  for  the  expenses  of  pubUca- 
tion.  He  was  willing  to  go  any  where,  to  get  away  from 
that  man. 

John  Whitney,  (tried  formerly,  it  will  be  recollected,  and 
acquitted,)  was  sworn  as  a  witness  on  the  trial  of  Park- 
hurst,  Whitney  and  others.  .  He  stated  that  he  rode  on  the 
carriage  with  the  driver,  Hubbard,  from  Canandaigua  to 
Victor.  He  there  procured  a  horse,  and  proceeded  to  Ro- 
chester, on  horse-back  ;  thence  to  Hanford's  Landing;  from 
which  place  to  Wright's,  he  rode  with  Morgan  in  the  car- 
riage. Witness  fully  corroborated  the  testimony  of  Law- 
son,  in  regard  to  the  absence  of  restraint,  and  of  liquor,  ex- 
cept two  or  three  glasses,  and  also  to  Morgan's  willingness 
to  go.  He  did  not  recollect  that  any  one  had  hold  of  Mor- 
gan when  they  got  out  of  one  carriage  into  another  ;  they 
got  out  and  in  like  the  others;  there  was  no  scuffle  nor  was 
any  force  used ;  he  had  a  talk  with  Morgan  on  the  road ; 
he  expressed  a  willingness  to  go  if  his  situation  could  be 
made  to  suit  him,  and  he  was  assured  it  should  be  so ;  the 
object  of  keeping  him  secret,  was,  that  Miller,  aiid  those 
with  whom  he  had  been  engaged  in  printing  the  book,  should 
not  know  where  he  had  gone,  so  as  to  follow  him  ;  he  said 
Miller  had  misused  him,  and  he  did  not  wish  him  to  know 
where  he  had  gone ;  appeared  as  anxious  as  any  one  to 
keep  his  journey  secret;  witness  saw  no  bandage  over  his 
eyes ;  no  threats  were  used  ;  Morgan  was  told  he  could 
not  fexpect  friends  unless  he  used  his  friends  well ;.  he  said 
he  had  done  wrong,  and  was  willing  to  get  out  of  the 
scrape ;  he  knew  they  were  going  to  Lewiston  ;  it  was  the 
understanding  that  the  arrangements  to  be  made  for  him, 
were  to  be  as  good  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  as  the 
speculation  with  Miller,  in  publishing  the  book;  nothing 
definite  however,  had  yet  been  agreed  upon. 


LETTER    XLIII,  489 

• 

Isaac  Farwell  was.  examined  on  both  trials.  He  lived 
near  Wright's  tavern,  and  was  there  when  the  carriage 
drove  to  the  shed,  towards  evening,  on  the  13th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1826.  He  was  requested  by  Wright  to  go  into 
the  barn,  where  the  carriage  was  driven.  He  there  got 
into  the  carriage,  to  sit  with  the  man  whom  he  had  been 
told  was  Morgan,  while  the  person  whom  he  found  in 
the  carriage  with  him,  went  in  to  supper.  He,  (witness,) 
was  a  Mason  ;  and  on  inquiring  what  the  disturbance  was 
about,  and  who  Morgan  was,  they  told  him  that  he  had 
been  publishing  the  secrets  of  masonry,  and  gave  him  an 
account  of  the  manner  in  which  they  had  taken  him  away, 
first  from  Batavia,  for  stealing  a  shirt,  and  then  from  Can- 
andaigua.  He  inquired  what  they  were  going  to  do  with 
him,  and  was  told  that  they  intended  to  take  him  to  Cana- 
da, where  they  would  procure  him  to  be  sent  on  board  of  a 
British  ship  of  war.  Witness  held  no  conversation  with 
him,  either  by  signs  or  words.  The  person  in  the  carriage 
had  a  handkerchief  drawn  entirely  and  closely  over  his 
f^ce.     When  witness  entered  the  carriage,  and  the  other 

person  left  it  to  get  his  supper,  he  said : — "  You  d ^d  old 

"  hag,  if  you  open  your  head  while  I  am  gone,  I  will  smash 
"  you  on  my  return."  Morgan  was  helped  out  of  the  car- 
riage, while  in  the  barn,  and  soon  taken  in  again.  Witness 
was  told  that  the  fact  of  his  being  th^re  was  to  be  kept  a 
secret.'  He  had  talked  with  Wright  about  it  before  the  car- 
riage came  up.  Wright  said  he  did  not  know  what  the 
matter  was,  but  a  man  came  along  in  a  sulkey,  and  inquir- 
ed if  he  had  seen  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cumings,  to  which  he  repli- 
ed that  he  had  not.  He  was  then  directed  by  the  man  in 
the  sulkey,  that  if  a  carriage  should  come  along,  he  must 
drive  it  into  the  barn^  and  say  nothing  about  it.  Wright 
added  that  he  knew  not  what  it  meant. 

Eli  Bruce  was  examined  on  both  trials,  testifying  much 
as  on  his  former  examination,  with  the  addition  of  a  few 

62 


490  LETTER    XLIII. 

• 

particulars.  Morgan's  face,  he  said,  was  covered  that  he 
should  not  see  who  were  with  him.  He  talked  freely,  and 
was  not  bound.  When  asked  if  he  knew  where  he  was, 
he  replied  that  he  was  passing  from  Rochester  to  Lewis- 
ton.  On  getting  into  the  boat,  he  inquired  what  it  was. 
He  was  told,  and  then  asked  if  all  was  safe,  with  which 
assurance  he  was  content.  He  was  not  landed  on  the  Can- 
ada shore.  Witness  supposed  that  Morgan  was  to  be  pro- 
vided for — that  he  was  to  be  placed  on  a  farm,  somewhere 
back  in  the  country,  away  from  the  knowledge  or  influence 
of  Miller.  When  the  Canada  people  refused, to  receive 
him,  witness  thought  it  was  because  their  arrangements 
were  not  completed.  When  on  coming  back,  Morgan  was 
put  into  the  Magazine,  he,  (witness,)  supposed  he  was  only 
to  be  kept  there  until  those  arrangements  had  been  settled. 
There  was  no  restraint  upon  Morgan's  limbs, — he  was  not 
bound,  even  in  the  boat.  A  man  was  left  with  him,  to  keep 
him  company  at  the  magazine,  but  witness  did  not  go  into 
it  himself.  He  did  not  previously  know  Morgan ;  but  was 
informed  that  it  was  a  voluntary  proceeding  on  his  part, 
or  he>  (witness)  would  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  af- 
fair. When  he  heard,  on  the  following  day,  at  Lewiston, 
that  Morgan  was  uneasy,  he  had  some  misgivings  ;  but  sup- ' 
posed  from  the  character  of  the  men,  who  were  with  him,  " 
that  nothing  dishonorable  would  be  done,  or  any  thing  that 
would  affect  his  own  character  and  standing.  The  last 
that  he  had  ever  hoard  upon  the  subject,  except  by  rumor, 
was,  that  he  was  quieted  and  contented.  He  had  himself^ 
hoped  for  the  best,  and  said  nothing — being  a  public  officer. 
He  heard  no  expression  from  any  one,  that  Morgan  had 
forfeited  his  life.  He  remembered  of  their  fastening  the 
magazine,  but  had  not  inquired  into  the  particulars  of  the 
case. 

John  Jackson,  the  person  who  accompanied  Giddings  to 
the  magazine,  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  September, 


LETTER  XLIII.  491 

1826,  and  who  was  despatched  to  Lewiston,  to  inform  Col. 
King  that  "  the  man  in  the  magazine  was  making  a  good 
"  deal  of  noise,'*  was  again  called  upon  the  stand.  His  tes- 
timony on  the  present  occasion,  did  not  vary  materially 
from  his  former  statements,  especially  that  made  on  the 
trial  of  Brown  and  Wright.  In  addition  to  his  former  re- 
lations, however,  he  now  testified  that  he  was  at  Batavia 
when  Miller  was  arrested,  on  the  12th  of  September  ;  and 
when  he  was  first  told  that  "  there  was  a  man  in  the  maga- 
zine," he  thought  it  must  be  Miller.  He  denied,  however, 
that  his  business  at  Batavia  had  any  connexion  with  the 
proceedings  against  Miller.  He  knew  not  for  what  that 
individual  was  arrested. 

There  were  two  witnesses  sworn  upon  the  trials  of 
Adams,  and  Parkhurst  Whitney,  and  those  impleaded  with 
him,  whose  testimony  was  of  a  pecuUarly  important  and 
decisive  character.  The  first  of  these  was  James  A.  Shed, 
now  a  practising  lawyer  in  Ohio,  whose  name  has  not  be- 
fore appeared  on  any  of  the  trials.  He  testified  that  he 
happened  to  be  at  Fort  Niagara,  on  the  afternoon  of  12th 
of  September,  1826,  when  he  was  inquired  of  by  Col.  Jew- 
ett  whom  he  previously  knew,  whether  he  was  a  Mason. 
On  replying  in  the  affirmative,  he  was  informed  that  a  very 
high-handed  measure  was  about  to  be  entered  into  by  the 
Masons,  a  parallel  of  which  could  not  probably  be  found 
in  the  history  of  the  world,  unless  in  the  case  of  King 
Stanislaus,  who  was  seized  and  carried  off"  by  the  Poles ; — 
that  it  was  their  intention  to  carry  off  Morgan  for  pubhsh- 
ing  the  secrets  of  Masonry — take  him  to  Montreal  or  Que- 
bec, and  there  put  him  on  board  a  British  vessel,  if  one 
could  be  found  whose  commander  was  a  Mason.  In  the 
evening  of  that  day,  witness,  on  request,  assisted  to  row  a 
boat  over  the  river,  in  which  were  two  other  persons  be- 
sides himself,  one  of  whom  was  Jewett.  On  reaching  the 
shore,  witness  and  Jewett  went  up  to  the  village  of  Niaga- 


492  LETTER    XLIII. 

.^.  ra,  attended  a  meeting  of  eight  or  ten  Masons  at  a  lodge 
*^  room,  where  the  subject  of  Morgan's  disposal  was  discuss- 
ed; one  proposed  harsh  measures,  and  even  death.  Anoth- 
er repelled  the  proposal  with  indignation.  The  meeting 
was  broken  up,  nothing  done,  and  the  party  returned  in  the 
boat  to  Fort  Niagara.  On  Wednesday,  witness  assisted  to 
remove  powder  out  of  the  magazine,  which  was  said  to  be 
spoiling  on  account  of  dampness.  On  Thursday,  he  was 
informed  that  Morgan  had  been  brought  to  that  place  the 
night  previously — went  that  day  to  Lewiston  and  attended 
the  installation.  Returned  the  same  evening.  On  tl]c 
Monday  or  Tuesday  morning  following,  witness  and 
another  person  met  Adams  coming  from  the  magazine, 
who  seemed  to  be  agitated,  and  said  he  believed  they  had 
taken  Morgan  away.  Went  to  the  magazine — Adams  call- 
ed Morgan  thrice,  but  received  no  answer — unlocked  the 
door — entered — discovered  a  quantity  of  straw  which  had 
the  appearance  of  having  been  lain  Upon  by  a  man — an 
ammunition  box,  flag  silk  handkerchief,  pitcher,  decanter, 
and  a  plank  that  was  broken,  on  the  floor.  The  straw  was 
removed,  the  boxes  taken  out,  the  plank  refitted  to  its  pro- 
per place,  the  handkerchief  destroyed,  and  the  pitcher  and 
decanter  carried  down  to  Giddings's  house.  Witness  heard 
no  explanation  whether  Morgan  had  been  removed  by  the 
Canada  Masons  or  not.  He  was  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  person  who  first  spoke  to  him,  and  they  had  the 
sign  and  grip  between  them.  Witness  made  no  inquiries 
of  him  as  to  the  effect  of  this  transaction  ;  but  did  make  en- 
quiries of  him  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  measure  ;  he  said 
it  was  with  extreme  reluctance  that  he  had  had  any  thing  to 
do  with  it,  but  felt  himself  bound  as  a  Mason.  Witness  re- 
mained at  Youngstown  about  six  months  afterwards,  teach- 
ing school— conversed  with  Mr.  Shaw,  one  of  defendants, 
at  Lewiston,  in  the  following  January,  who  stated  that  he 
knew  Morgan  was  there,  and  felt  very  bad  about  it.    Heard 


LETTER  XLTIl.  493 

Shaw  endeavor  to  dissuade  Giddings  from  disclosing  the 
affair. 

On  his  cross-examination,  witness  stated  that  no  one  was 
present  at  the  time  of  Shaw's  admissions — never  heard  either 
of  defendants  acknowledge  that  they  had  had  any  part  in  the 
transaction — never  saw  any  of  the  persons  who  were  pre- 
sent at  the  meeting  in  Canada  afterwards,  except  Garside, 
— who  wished  witness  to  introduce  him  to  some  Mason  of 
high  standing,  that  he  might  get  his  permission  to  put  Mor- 
gan to  death.     Witness  refused. 

Orsamus  Turner,  whose  name  has  become  quite  familiar 
in  connexion  with  these  transactions,  testified,  in  substance, 
that  he  was  at  Batavia  some  time  before  the  abduction  of 
Morgan,  and  heard  a  good  many  hard  things  said.  He  had 
learned  from  sheriff  Thompson  and  others,  that  Morgan 
was  dissatisfied  with  Miller,  and  wished  to  get  away,  if  the 
Masons  would  give  him  an  equivalent  for  the  book  he  was 
writing.  With  this  view,  he,  (witness,)  crossed  over  into 
Canada,  to  *  complete  the  arrangements  for  taking  Morgan 
thence,  and  settling  him  upon  a  farm.  This  farm,  it  was 
understood,  was  to  be  paid  for  by  the  Masons  in  Canada. 
It  was  situated  near  the  Short  Hills,  and  was  to  be  given  to 
Morgan,  on  condition  that  he  should  take  back  the  manu- 
scripts already  in  Miller's  possession,  and  suppress  the  book. 
Witness  supposed  the  bargain  with  Morgan  had  been  made, 
and  that  it  was  well  understood  on  both  sides.  Four  men 
were  to  be  responsible  ;  and  indeed  they  had  offered  to  pay 
Morgan  an  equivalent  in  money,  should  he  prefer  it.  On 
his  return  from  Canada,  witness  stopped  at  Youngstown  to 
take  tea.  While  tea  was  preparing,  witness  and  his  com- 
panion, Darrow,  walked  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Giddings,  who 
kept  a  tavern,  where  the  subject  of  the  removal  of  Morgan 
into  Canada,  was  talked  over.  It  was  "  ..ggested  that  it 
might  be  necessary  for  Morgan  to  stop  there  over  night ; 
and  the  question  arose  where  he  should  be  kept.     Giddings 


494  LETTER  XLIII. 

proposed  the  magazine  of  the  fort,  and  introduced  witness 
to  a  person,  who,  he  said,  would  make  the  necessary  ar- 
rangements. From  the  rash  expressions  which  witness 
had  heard  at  Batavia,.  which  he  now  mentioned  to  Gid- 
dings,  it  was  feared  that  some  violence  might  be  offered 
to  Morgan,  and  this,  they  thought,  would  have  a  bad  effect. 
The  arrangement  for  taking  him  into  Canada,  was  made  for 
the  double  purpose  of  preventing  violence,  and  suppressing 
the  book.  Witness  expressly  told  Giddings,  that  the  ar- 
rangement had  been  made  with  a  full  understanding  that  not 
a  hair  of  his  head  should  be  hurt.  Giddings,  who  felt  as 
he  did  upon  the  subject,  was  charged  to  see  that  no  violence 
should  be  offered  to  Morgan.  The  information  had  been 
communicated  to  witness  by  men  of  honor,  in  whom  he 
thought  he  could  confide — men  of  character  and  standing. 
After  this  interview  with  Giddings,  and  the  other  man,  on 
the  night  of  the  10th  of  September,  witness  had  never 
had  any  thing  to  do  with  the  matter,  du'ectly  or  indi- 
rectly. He  attended  the  installation  of  the  chapter,  at  Lew- 
iston,  but  knew  nothing  in  any  wise  inculpating  either  of. the 
parties  on  trial. 

The  next  witness  called,  and  far  the  most  important  of 
any  examined,  on  either  of  the  long  chain  of  trials,  was 
Edward  Giddings,  who  had  been  rejected,  in  consequence 
of  his  alledged  infidelity,  on  the  trial  of  Bruce,  in  1828.  He 
was  again  objected  to,  by  the  counsel  for  the  defence  both  on 
the  trial  of  Adams,  and  on  thatofParkhurst  Whitney  and  oth- 
ers, on  the  same  ground  as  before,  viz :  his  disbelief  in  a  Su- 
preme Being  who  will  punish  perjury.  A  long  trial  ensued  upon 
this  point,  and  the  testimony  taken  in  respect  to  his  religious 
belief,  was,  if  possible,  still  more  contradictory  than  before. 

It  was  most  clearly  testified  by  several  witnesses,  that 
Giddings,  on  various  occasions,  had  used  expressions  show- 
ing that  he  doubted,  if  he  did  not  disbelieve  in,  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  and  the  future  accountability  of  man.     He 


LETTER  XLIII.  495 

seemed  to  have  read  bad  books,  in  an  unenlightened  man- 
ner';— books  especially  calculated  to  mislead  the  vulgar  and 
ignorant  portion  of  the  community,  as  they  profess  to  com- 
municate a  v^orld  of  (to  them)  new  information.  I  shall 
not  incumber  these  pages,  already  too  much  protracted, 
with  specimens  of  the  evidence  given  on  this  trial,  as  to  his 
infidelity.  He  quoted  much  from  Volney's  Ruins  ;  than 
which  I  do  not  know  any  book  better  calculated  to  promote 
the  cause  of  the  Arch  Fiend,  among  the  illiterate.  Accord- 
ing to  this  part  of  the  testimony,  Giddings  did  not  profess 
to  know  what  he  believed  in,  beyond  the  consciousness  of 
his  own  existence ;  and  a  little  more  loose  reading  might 
have  taught  him  to  doubt  the  evidence  of  that.  He  had  a 
vague  idea 

"  Of  the  Great  Whole, 
"  Who  hath  produced  and  will  receive  the  soul," 

but  it  was  little  tinctured  with  either  poetry  or  philosophy* 
It  was  proved,  on  the  other  hand,  that  he  had  spoken  at 
times  of  temporal  punishment  as  being  the  retributive  jus- 
tice of  heaven  for  sins  done  upon  earth.  A  wide  range  of 
testimony  was  allowed  to  be  gone  into  ;  in  which  it  was 
sworn  that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  alluding  to  a  God, — as  an 
overruling  Providence,  in  his  letters  to  his  children,  and  the 
relations  with  whom  he  corresponded.  But  taken  altogeth- 
er, as  I  have  already  stated,  this  testimony  proved  that  his 
ideas  as  to  the  sanction  of  morals,  and  his  obligations  to- 
wards his  Creator  and  his  fellow  men,  were  crude  and  fan- 
tastic. Had  he  been  well  educated,  he  would  probably 
have  been  either  an  enlightened  christian,  or  a  dangerous 
skeptic.  « 

It  was  w^ell  known,  by  the  repeated  publications  of 
Giddings,  and  by  his  evidence  given  before  grand  ju- 
rors, that  his  testimony  was  of  the  highest  consequence, 


496  LETTER  XLIII. 

in  these  trials  ;  and  corresponding  efforts ,  were  made  on 
both  sides ;  by  the  prosecution,  to  have  him  sworn  as  a 
witness,  and  by  the  defence,  to  exclude  him.  A  formida- 
ble array  of  witnesses  had  consequently  been  brought 
forward,  both  to  impeach,  and  to  sustain  him,  on  other 
grounds  than  his  religious  belief  There  was  one  cir- 
cumstance disclosed  in  the  course  of  this  collateral  inves- 
tigation, which  it  would  be  unfair  not  to  mention.  By  the 
former  law  of  this  state,  as  settled  by  the  Supreme  Conrt, 
on  the  opinion  of  the  late  Chief  Justice  Spencer,  a  belief,  not 
only  in  a  God,  but  in  a  state  of  future  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, was  required  to  make  a  competent  witness.  But  in 
the  late  revision  of  our  laws,  the  common  law  has  been  al- 
tered ;  and  it  appeared  in  evidence  on  this  occasion,  that  in 
the  course  of  a  conversation  between  Giddings  and  the  late 
special  counsel,  Mr.  Spencer,  the  former  having  complain- 
ed of  the  law  by  which  his  testimony  had  been  excluded 
at  Canandaigua,  the  latter  had  told  him  that  the  law  would 
probably-be  altered  in  this  respect.  Mr.  Spencer  was  one 
of  the  revisers  of  the  laws  and  a  member  of  the  legislature. 
The  law  was  altered,  and  the  two  provisions  upon  this  sub- 
ject are  now  incorporated  in  the  statute  book,  in  the  follow- 
ing words : — 

"  §  87.  Every  person  believing  in  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  who 
will  punish  false-swearing,  shall  be  admitted  to  be  sworn,  if  otherwise  com- 
petent." 

"  §  88.  No  person  shall  be  required  to  declare  his  belief  or  disbelief  in  the 
existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  or  that  He  will  punish  false-swearing,  or  his 
belief  or  disbelief  of  any  other  matter,  as  a  requisite  to  his  admission  to  be 
sworn  or  to  testify  in  any  case.  But  the  belief  or  unbelief  of  every  person 
offered  ag  a  witness,  may  be  proved  by  other  and  competent  testimony." 

I  do  not  intend  any  impeachment  of  the  hiotives  of  Mr. 
Spencer,  by  adverting  thus  to  the  above  mentioned  cir- 
cumstance. I  have  no  evidence  that  the  proposed  change 
was  made  at  his  instance ;  nor  do  I  believe  that,  were  such 


LETTER  XLIII.  497 

the  fact,  however  anxious  he  might  have  been  to  convict 
the  Morgan  conspirators,  he  w^ouldhave  aided  in  changing 
the  settled  principles  of  the  law  of  evidence  for  that  pur- 
pose. If  the  law  had  been  erroneously  expounded,  and  laid 
down  incorrectly  in  the  books,  it  was  proper  that  it  should 
be  corrected ;  but  the  conversation  with  Giddings,  as  given 
in  the  testimony,  required  explanation,  and  that  explanation, 
1  conceive,  has  not  been  here  improperly  introduced. 

The  testimony  having  been  closed  in  support  of  the  com- 
petency of  Giddings,  his  Honor  Judge  Nelson  said,  that  the 
more  he  reflected  upon  it,  the  more  he  was  convinced,  that 
he  ought  not,  upon  this  preliminary  inquiry,  to  stop  to  weigh 
and  canvass  the  facts,  and  see  on  which  side  the  balance 
of  proof  lay.  The  witness  was  presumed  in  the  first  in- 
stance, to  be  competent,  and  the  defendants  held  the  affirma- 
tive, and  were  bound  to  sustain  it,  and  as  at  present  advis- 
ed, he  should  always  hold  the  party  objecting,  to  make  out 
a  clear  and  undoubted  case  of  disqualification,  before  he 
would  exclude.  Doubt  ought  to  admit.  He  would  there- 
fore admit  the  witness,  allowing  the  counsel  to  urge  the 
facts  to  the  jury  upon  the  question  of  credibility. 

Giddings  was  thereupon  sworn.  He  testified,  that  in 
September,  1826,  he  lived  at  Fort  Niagara,  and  kept  the 
ferry.  About  midnight  of  the  12th  he  was  called  up  by  Col. 
King,  who  said  he  had  got  the  d- — d  perjilred  scoundrel 
who  had  been  revealing  the  secrets  of  Masonry ;  that  he  was 
bound,  hood-winked,  and  under  guard  ;  wanted  witness  to 
take  them  over  the  river,  and  dehver  him  up  to  the  Masons 
in  Canada,  for  them  to  do  with  as  they  thought  proper ; 
went  over  the  river  with  them  ;  Morgan  was  sitting  on  a 
piece  of  timber  when  witness  went  out  of  the  house  ;  he  had 
a  handkerchief  oTer  his  eyes  ;  he  was  then  led  to  the  boat 
^y  two  men  ;  one  had  hold  of  each  arm  ;  was  not  intoxica- 
ted ;  appeared  to  be  very  weak  ;  his  legs  were  not  bound ; 
nothing  was  said  to  him  before  they  got  to  the  boat ;  on« 

63 


498  LETTER  XLIII.  r 

of  the  men,  (Eli  Bruce,)  called  for  some  water,  and  said  the 
wretch  is  almost  famished ;  there  were  four  of  us  with  him  ; 
five,  in  all,  including  Morgan,  went  into  the  boat,  viz  :  Col. 
King,  Hague,  Bruce,  Morgan,  and  witness  ;  two  of  the 
men,  when  we  got  over,  went  up  to  the  town,  (Niagara:) 
While  they  were  waiting  in  the  boat,  Morgan  said,  "  the 
"  handkerchief  pains  me  most  intolerably  ;"  the  man  who 
sat  in  front  of  him  felt  under  the  handkerchief,  and  said, 
"  it  is  not  tight,  keep  silent ;"  he  then  said,  "  gentlemen,  I 
"  am  your  prisoner,  use  me  with  magnanimity ;"  the  man  who 
sat  before  him  pressed  a  pistol  against  his  breast,  and  toLd 
him  if  he  said  any  thing  more  he  would  shoot  him.  Mor- 
gan tried  to  put  his  hands  into  his  vest  pocket,  and  could 
not ;  witness  then  saw  that  his  hands  were  tied  behind  him. 
In  about  two  hours  they  returned  with  intelligence  that  the 
Canadians  were  not  prepared  to  receive  Morgan,  where- 
upon he  was  brought  back  and  put  into  the  magazine. 
Witness  had  the  key;  went  up  the  next  morning  to  give 
him  food  and  refreshments.  They  went  into  the  porch 
door,  and  were  about  opening  the  door  leading  to  the  ma- 
gazine, when  Morgan  said,  you  had  better  not  come  in ;  for 
as  there  are  but  two  of  you,  I  can  defend  myself  against  you, 
as  I  am  situated  ;  I  am  determined  not  to  be  bled  to  death. 
John  Jackson  then  said,  where  is  that  pistol,  is  it  loaded,  is 

the  flint  in  good  order  ?  for  I  will  shoot  the  d d  rascal  ; 

this  was  said  in  a  loud  voice  to  intimidate  him.  Morgan 
then  cried  murder  and  made  much  noise.  Witness  request- 
ed a  man,  (John  Jackson,)  who  was  going  to  Lewiston,  to 
send  somebody  to  still  Morgan.  A  person,  (Hague,)  came, 
and  in  going  up  to  the  magazine,  he  said,  "  I  know  Morgan, 
"  and  he  fears  me  as  he  does  the  devil :  he  will  make  no  more 
**  noise  after  I  see  him."  Afterwards  thirty  more  came,  of 
whom  all  returned  except  the  six  defendants.  The  collo- 
quies that  attended  the  interviews  between  them  and  their 
prisoner,  do  not  s^ecm  to  be>  material  to  the  issue,  until  tlie 


LETTER  XLIir.  499 

evening  of  the  15th,  when  his  further  disposal  became  a 
matter  of  dehberation, — and  it  was  at  first  determined  to 
put  him  to  death.  While  they  were  proceeding  to  the  ma- 
gazine for  that  purpose,  under  the  direction  of  Col.  King, 
one  of  them  made  an  objection.  He  said  he  felt  bound  to 
assist,  but  could  not  approve  of  the  deed.  They  concluded 
thereupon  to  defer  the  execution  until  they  could  send  to 
"  the  Grand  Lodge  now  sitting  at  Jerusalem^^  for  instruc- 
tions. They  apprised  Morgan  that  they  had  determined  to 
send  to  the  east  for  instructions  what  to  do  with  him.  At 
this  interview  he  said  he  thought  that  by  climbing  up  on  a 
frame,  he  could  see  to  read,  and  he  asked  for  a  Bible.  He 
also  requested  permission  to.  see  his  wife  and  children  ;  and 
these  indulgencies  were  promised  to  him, — but  not  granted. 
After  leaving  the  magazine,  they  were  joined  by  Adams, 
and  the  manner  of  disposing  of  Morgan  was  again  discus- 
sed. One  man  said  by  putting  a  rope  round  his  body,  arms 
and  legs,  and  sinking  him  in  the  river,  no  trace  of  him  could 
ever  be  discovered.  Miller  said  he  could  prove  from  scrip- 
ture that  it  was  right  to  take  his  life ;  quoted  a  passage,  but  wit- 
ness don't  recollect  what  it  was ;  some  high  words  passed  be- 
tween King  and  witness,  who  told  King  he  would  go  and 
release  Morgan  ;  King  was  in  a  great  passion,  and  told 
witness  to  do  it  at  his  peril ;  witness  then  gave  him  up  the 
key  and  told  King  he  would  have  no  more  to  do  with  it ;  he 
(King,)  took  the  key  and  gave  it  to  another  person.  On  the 
17th,  witness  went  to  York,  (U.  C.)  and  returned  on  the 
21st,  when  he  was  told  by  Col.  Jewett,  that  "they  had 
"  murdered  that  man."  The  witness  also  testified  to  murder- 
ous designs  expressed  by  Garside,  (the  same  person  named 
by  Shed,)  but  they  do  not  seem  to  have  pertained  to  the 
issue. 

A  cross-examination  followed  of  considerable  length,  one 
of  the  prominent  points  of  which  was  the  disclosure  of  terms 
of  pecuniary  advantage,  upon  the  performance  of  which  the 


500  LETTER  XLTII. 

witness  had  agreed  to  leave  that  part  of  the  country,  and 
not  appear  as  a  witness*  The  Masons  were  very  anxious 
to  have  him  go  off,  and  made  him  hberal  offers,  and  he  at 
one  time  agreed  to  go.  The  fact  was  admitted  by  Giddings, 
but  as  that  was  a  matter  touching  his  credibihty  only,  it 
does  not  seem  to  be  necessary  to  my  purpose  to  enter  into 
the  detail.  The  examination  and  cross-examination  were 
very  long,  and  at  times  full  of  fearful  and  tragic  interest. 

Kneeland  Townsend  was  next  called.  His  testimony 
related  principally  to  the  proposition  that  had  been  made 
to  silence  Giddings,  by  money.  The  witness  (then  a  Ma- 
son) approved  of  the  plan ;  but  it  was  so  evident,  from  his 
own  confession,  that  the  witness  was  so  intemperate  and  for- 
getful, that  very  little  reliance,  it  is  presumed,  could  have 
been  placed  upon  his  testimony,  even  if  it  had  been  impor- 
tant in  its  character. 

Four  witnesses,  viz :  Oliver  Grace,  Gustavus  W.  Pope, 
Loton  Lawson,  and  Alexander  Stewart,  were  then  called 
to  invaHdate  the  testimony  of  Giddings.  They  swore  to 
facts  at  vq.riance  with  what  he  had  asserted  under  oath,  and 
also  to  his  different  versions  of  the  trans  actions — but  these 
w^ere  points  for  the  consideration  of  the  jury,  as  questions 
of  fact,  rather  than  as  involving  any  important  principle. 

The  two  next  witnesses  called  by  the  defendants,  were 
for  the  purpose  of  impeaching  the  testimony  of  Kneeland 
Townsend,  but  their  evidence  was  of  little  importance  to 
either  party.  The  next  and  last  witness,  however,  was 
called  by  the  prosecution,  and  his  testimony  was  so  impor- 
tant that  (especially  as  it  is  brief,)  I  give  it  entire  as  report- 
ed:— 

"  Amos  Bronson. — I  had  .a  conversation  with  Chubbuck  (one  of  the  de- 
fendants,) day  before  yesterday  :  (this  is  Saturday,  5th,)  we  were  talking 
about  Giddings's  testimony  ;  he  said,  as  far  as  he  has  gone  he  has  told  the 
truth  ;  this  is  a  misfortune  that  has  come  upon  us  like  the  crash  of  an  earth- 
quake ;  we  could  not  avoid  doing  as  wc  did,  and  the  first  we  knew  it  was 


LETTER  XLIIT.  501 

upon  our  shouldoig  ;  at  this  time  Giddings  had  got  to  where  he  told  that 
quite  a  number  had  come  down  from  Lewiston,  and  six  staid  till  after  sup- 
per, and' had  given  the  names  of  Beach,  Chubbuck,  and  Shaw:  I  think 
Mr.  Birdseye  was  examining  Giddings  at  this  time. 

"  Cross-examined. — Was  here  day  before  yesterday  as  a  spectator  ;  am 
here  to-day  as  a  witness  ;  I  told  this  conversation  to  several  before  I  went 
home  ;  Chubbuck  said  that  what  Giddings  had  sworn  to  was  as  true  as 
what  he  had  sworn  to  himself." 

The  cause  of  Elisha*  Adams  was  ably  defended  by  W. 
H.  Adams,  Esq.,  and  that  of  the  people  by  the  special  coun- 
sel, after  which  an  elaborate  charge  was  made  to  the  jury 
by  judge  Nelson. 

The  cause  was  committed  to  the  jury  at  about  7  o'clock, 
on  Saturday  evening.  On  Monday  morning  the  jury  came 
into  court,  and  declared  that  they  had  not  agreed  upon  a 
verdict,  and  could  not  agree.  Eleven  of  them  were  ready 
to  render  a  verdict  of  guilty  ;  but  there  was  one  who  would 
never  agree.  Such  being  the  state  of  the  case,  the  court 
directed  the  dissenting  juror  to  stand  up  in  the  jury 'box. 
He  did  so,  and  proved  to  be  the  only  Mason  on  the  panel. 
The  jury  was  then  discharged. 

The  case  of  P.  Whitney,  Shaw,  Beach,  Miller,  and  Chub- 
buck, was  also  very  ably  and  eloquently  summed  up  by 
Messrs.  Griffin  and  Adams,  for  the  defence,  and  by  the 
special  counsel  for  the  prosecution. 

The  Judge  occupied  an  hour  and  a  half  in  committing 
this  cause  to  the  jury,  as  there  was  a  great  accumulation  of 
testimony  to  be  analyzed,  and  spread  before  them  in  an  in- 
telligible form.  The  proof  of  the  existence  of  the  conspira- 
cy was  established,  the  judge  said,  as  had  been  conceded  in 
the  course  of  the  argument,  on  both  sides.  The  jury  there- 
fore, would  not  be  under  the  necessity  of  examining  that 
point.  It  was  not  contended,  on  the  part  of  the  people,  that 
the  defendants  were  otherwise  guilty,  than  as  parties  to  the 
conspiracy,  and  this  fact  was  the  leading  and  important  in- 
quiry submitted  to  them.     The  question  then  arose,  were 


502  LETTER   XLIV. 

the  defendants,  or  either  of  them — for  all  or  any  of  them 
might  be  convicted — parties  to  the  conspiracy,  or  to  the 
imprisonment  of  Morgan  ?  That  they  were,  was  positively 
asserted  by  Giddings,  under  oath  ;  and  the  Judge  proceed- 
ed to  examine  the  character  and  weight  of  that  testimony, 
to  enable  the  jury  to  give  it  its  just  value,  retaining  the 
ground  that  he  was  an  admissible  witness,  and  leaving  it  to 
them  to  judge  of  its  credibility.  The  court  also  adverted 
to  the  testimony  of  Shed,  which  only  went  to  implicate  Shaw, 
and  would  not  ofjtself,  conceding  the  truth  of  it,  be  suffi- 
cient for  that.  He  deemed  the  question  to  rely  mainly  upon 
the  credit  attached  to  the  testimony,  of  Giddings.  It  was  a 
question  for  the  jury  to  decide.  It  was  their  province  to 
pass  upon  the  whole.  If  their  minds  were  at  rest  on  the 
question  of  guilt,  they  should  convict,  regardless  of  conse- 
quences ;  but  if  not,  if  they  had  any  rational  and  conscien- 
tiQUS  doubts,  their  duty  was  to  acquit. 

On  the  morning  of  March  8th,  the  jury,  having  been  out 
all  night,  came  info  court  with  a  verdict  of  "  Not  Guilty," 
in  regard  to  Timothy  Shaw  and  William  Miller.  Not  be- 
able  to  agree  respecting  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  other 
defendants,  the  jury  were  discharged,  and  the  court  imme- 
diately proceeded  with  another  of  these  extraordinary 
.cases. 

Very  respectfully,  yours,  &c. 


LETTER    XLIV. 

New- York,  March  26,  1832. 

Silly 

The  next  and  last  of  the  conspiracy  cases  which  came 
to  trial,  was  that  of  the  People  vs.  Norman  Shephard,  and  Dr. 


LETTER  XLIV.  60A 

Timothy  Maxwell.  The  first  witness  called,  was  General 
Jonathan  K.  Barlow,  who  resided  in  Genesee  county  in  the 
summer  and  autumn  of  1826.  The  last  time  that  he  had 
attended  a  lodge  or  chapter  of  Masons,  was  on  the  week 
immediately  preceding  the  15th  of  August  of  that  year. 
The  Mark-masters  Lodge  was  first  opened,  and  a  conver- 
sation ensued  respecting  the  book  which  it  was  said  Morgan 
was  now  publishing.  The  Rev.  Lucius  Smith,  master  of 
the  lodge,  and  High  Priest  of  the  Chapter,  was  in  the  chair. 
It  was  in  part  upon  the  business  of  Morgan's  book,  that 
the  meeting  was  summoned.  There  had  been  several  pre- 
vious meetings  upon  this  subject,  and  a  committee  had  been 
appointed  to  concert  measures  for  the  suppression  of  the 
book,  although  of  this  committee  the  witness  first  heard  at 
the  present  meeting.  A  report  from  that  committee  was 
announced,  and  one  of  its  members  rose  and  addressed  the 
chair,  wishing  to  know  where  they  should  present  their  ac- 
counts to  be  audited.  He  stated  that  the  committee  had 
been  to  Rochester  and  Buffalo, — and  the  witness  believed 
he  added,  "  and  Canandaigua :"  but  of  this  he  was  not  quite 
certain.  The  answer  in  regard  to  the  account,  was — "  You 
"  must  present  it  to  the  auditing  committee."  It  was  here 
intimated  that  perhaps  they  had  better  hear  the  report  be- 
fore they  acted  upon  it.  The  master  then  interrupted  the 
discussion,,  by  saying  "  it  was  not  a  proper  place  to  receive 
«  the  report.  The  lodge  should  be  first  closed,  and  the 
"  chapter  opened."  The  necessary  direction  for  that  pur- 
pose was  thereupon  given :  all  the  brethren  who  had  re- 
ceived no  higher  degrees  than  the  Mark,  retired ;  and  the 
chapter  was  opened  in  due  form.  The  committee  was 
then  called  upon  for  the  report,  and  one  of  its  members — 
but  not  the  one  who  had  spoken  upon  the  subject  in  the  de- 
gree below — rose  and  made  a  report.     He  said : — 

"  W€  went  to  Rochester,  and  assembled  the  companions  of  the  chapter, 
and  toUl  them  that  one  William  Morgan  was  about  to  print  the  secrets  of 


504  LETTER  xur. 

Masonry ;  that  the  companions,  or  a  number  of  them,  on  bemg  informed 
who  h«  was,  knew  Morgan — and  after  having  heard  a  relation  of  all  the  evi- 
dences they  had  concerning  the  book,  the  High  Priest  of  the  chapter  at 
Rochester  got  up,  pulled  off  liis  coat,  stripped  up   his   sleeves,   and  said, 

*  Bring  me  the  man  that  dare  do  that  thing,  and  I  will  show  you  what  to  do 

*  with  him.'  The  member  of  the  committee  who  was  making  the  report, 
was  interrupted  immediately  upon  saying  this,  and  told  (by  the  High  Priest) 
it  was  unnecessary  to  report  any  further — that  enough  had  been  reported. 
He  said  it  was  improper  that  the  report  should  come  before  the  chapter,  be- 
cause, he  said,   '  we  may  have  spies  upon  us  —and  what  is  done  here  to-day, 

*  may  be  revealed  on  the  house-tops  to-morrow.'  The  Rev.  High  Priest  went 
on  further  to  state,  that  it  was  not  proper  for  the  committee  to  report  it  in 
common,  but  that  they  should  keep  it  themselves,  and  do  their  own  busi- 
ness. Direction  was  then  given  to  the  chapter,  to  be  cautious  what  was 
said — to  be  discreet  and  careful.  On  the  same  evening,  out  of  the  chapter, 
witness  heard  an  inquiry  made  of  the  High  Priest,  by  one  who  was  in  the 
Mark  Lodge,  (but  had  been  exalted  that  night,)   '  what  the  report  of  .the 

*  committee  was  ?'    He  (the  High  Priest) 'said — 'Our  committee  know  their 

*  own  business,  and  can  keep  their  own  counsels,  and  transact  their  own  bu- 

*  siness — and  it  is  not  fitting  for  you  or  me  to  know  about  it.'" 

The  person  here  referred  to  as  having  that  night  been  ex- 
alted to  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch,  was  Judge  William 
Mitchell.  The  committee  consisted  of  William  Seaver, 
Blanchard  Powers,  and  Nathan  Follett.  It  was  Seaver 
who  first  spoke  of  having  the  accounts  for  the  expenses  ol' 
the  committee  audited.  There  was  a  pretty  full  chapter 
assembled  on  that  evening.  On  the  day  following,  the  wit- 
ness, (General  Barlow,)  started  on  a  journey,  and  did  not 
return  until  the  middle  of  October.  His  testimony  was 
fully  confirmed  by  the  examination  of  Judge  Mitchell,  who 
was  the  next  witness  called.  During  a  part  of  the  evening, 
the  Rev.  High  Priest  was  clad  in  his  clerical  instead  of  his 
masonic  robes. 

Benjamin  Porter,  Jr.,  called  as  a  witness,  resided  in  Ba- 
tavia  in  1826,  and  was  sent,  some  time  in  July,  with  a  mes- 
sage from  William  Seaver,  to  the  High  Priest  of  the  Chap- 
ter at  Lockport.     The-  message  was  delivered :  it  related 


'V*  -PS^^ 


LETTER   XLIV.  505 

to  Morgan's  book,  and  a  chapter  was  called  that  evening, 
which  witness  attended. 

Gustavus  W.  Pope,  lived  in  Lewiston,  and  was  acquaint- 
ed with  Dr.  Maxwell.     In  the  spring  of  1827,  witness  had 
a  conversation  with  Maxwell,  touching  his  having  been  at  .'.:     v 
Batavia,  at  the  time  of  Morgan's  arrest : —  "  *' 

"  Witness  asked  him,  familiarly,  a  question — said  to  liim,  'Mac, it  issai4 
you  were  at  Batavia  when  Morgan  was  carried  off.*  He  said  he  was  there, 
he  supposed,  at  the  time  he  was  carried  off  His  words  were,  *  I  was  there 
at  the  time  three  days  and  three  nights.'  He  said  he  never  saw  Morgan, 
or  knew  any  thing  about  him — that  he  was  there  on  his  own  business — but 
if  he  could  have  got  the  old  devil,  he  would  have  crammed  him  into  his  wag- 
gon, and  carried  him  off.  Witness  then  said  to  him,  '  you  haye  a  good  deal 
to  do  with  his  Satanic  majesty.'  He  replied  that  he  had.  This  was  the 
sum  of  the  conversation.  Defendant  said  there  was  quite  an  assemblage 
of  people  there,  a  good  many,  at  that  time — that  he  did  not  know  what  their 
business  was.  Witness  did  not  understand  who  went  with  him,  (Maxwell) 
— thinks  he  said  he  went  alone,  in  a  one  horse  waggon ;  had  a  patient 
about  ten  miles  from  here,  and  having  business  at  Batavia,  he  went  through. 
Witness  now  thinks  he  said  somebody  was  with  him,  but  can't  be  certaiii. 
To  a  question  as  to  his  testimony  before  the  grand  jury,  witness  answered, 
that  he  did  not  remember  what  he  then  testified — but  that  what  he  now  re- 
lated was  the  truth,  whatever  he  might  have  sworn  to  before  the  grand  jury ! 

On  his  cross-examination,  witness  stated  that  the  forego- 
ing conversation  with  the  defendant  was  jocose — more  in 
sport  than  earnest.  Witness  commenced  the  conversation 
by  way  of  a  joke,  and  both  laughed  heartily.  And  yet  it 
was  on  the  testimony  of  this  very  witness,  that  the  bill  of 
indictment  against  defendant  had  been  found  ! 

For  the  fifth  time,  John  Jackson  was  called — one  of  the 
most  unyielding  non-mi-recordo  witnesses  ever  brought  up- 
on the  stand.  He  was  at  Batavia  when  Morgan  was  ar- 
rested. Formerly  he  swore  that  he  went  thither  on  his 
own  business — knowing  nothing  of  the  Morgan  affair.  He 
now  said  .  he  went  partly  on  his  own  business,  and  to  ac- 
company David  Hague.     But  his  testimony  was  so  full  of 

64 


506  LETTER  XLIV. 

contradictions,  and  so  peculiar,  that  I  depair  of  conveying 
an  adequate  idea  of  its  manner  by  analysis,  and  I  must 
therefore  quote  it  without  much  abridgement : — 

"  John  Jackson. — Was  at  Batavia  after  Morgan  was  taken  away ;  went 
from  here  to  Batavia ;  went  alone ;  overtook  some  folks  that  were  going 
that  way ;  overtook  Hague  from  ten  to  twelve  miles  east  of  Lockport. 
Witness  can't  say  whether  he  started  in  the  morning  or  in  the  evening  j 
can't  be  positive  whether  he  had  company  all  the  way  or  not ;  went  on 
horseback.  Thinks  he  did  not  go  into  the  village  of  Batavia  with  Hague  j 
separated  about  one  mile  this  side  of  the  arsenal.  Hague  rode  on  and  left 
witness.  Witness  had  conversation  with  Hague  about  suppressing  Mor- 
gan's book,  on  the  way.  Hague  was  telling  witness  that  a  certain  man  had 
obtained  a  copy  that  Miller  had.  That  was  about  all  was  said  !  Hague 
said  he  was  going,  and  invited  him  to  go.  Does  not  recollect  that  Hague 
hired  a  horse  for  witness  to  go  ;  don't  think  Hague  said  he  wanted  him  to 
assist  in  suppressing  the  book.  Arrived  at  Batavia  same  day,  a  little  before 
night ;  staid  there  one  night.  Witness  was  around  the  streets  till  after  he 
saw  the  bustle  in  arresting  Miller,  and  thinks  he  left  there  soon  after.  Was 
informed  by  a  merchant  there,  that  Morgan  had  been  taken  away  by  the 
Masons,  and  that  he  supposed  they  were  going  to  carry  off  Miller.  Did 
not  see  Doctor  Maxwell  at  Batavia  ;  saw  him  three  or  four  miles  east  of 
there  towards  Le  Roy,  on  the  Canandaigua  road.  Witness  saw  a  bustle, 
and  asked  Maxwell,  '  What's  the  matter  now?'  *  God  !'  said  he,  *  they 
have  got  Miller  ;  they  have  taken  Morgan,  and  Miller  was  to  go.'  Wit- 
ness went  to  the  tavern  where  they  took  Miller  in  Batavia  ;  did  not  get  any .. 
breakfast  that  day  ;  don't  know  the  name  of  the  place  or  tavern.  Other 
persons  were  passing  about  there,  but  don't  know  who  they  were.  Witness 
supposed  he  went  alone  ;  there  were  people  on  the  road,  but  did  not  know 
them  ;  thinks  that  he  asked  Mac  if  he  knew  Morgan,  and  that  he  was  ta* 
ken  off;  Mac  said  he  heard  he  was  taken  off  by  some  men  from  Canandai- 
gua, but  that  he  did  not  know  the  men.  Witness  left  Batavia  the  same 
day  he  saw  Mac  at  the  tavern,  and  staid  at  Carrington's  (eight  miles  east 
of  Lockport)  that  night,  or  a  few  hours,  till  day-light ;  no  one  was  with  wit- 
ness. Can't  say  how  long  it  was  before  he  went  down  to  the  fort.  Witness 
went  to  Batavia  partly  on  his  own  business,  and  to  accompany  Hague  ;  that 
was  about  all  I  He  understood  Hague  meant  to  get  the  other  copies  of 
Morgan's  books  or  disclosures.  Saw  no  others  besides  Hague  that  heknew 
went  on  that  business.  Did  not  see  Shephard,  and  does  not  know  he  went 
out.  Ha^ue  had  before  told  witness  what  was  going  on ;  thinks  it  was  the 
night  before  he,  (witness,)  started  from  home. 

By  the  Court. — Witness  supposed  these  copies  were  to  be  got  by  intrigue, 
the  same  as  the  others  were ;  swpposecl  they  could  get  some  stranger  to 


LETTER  XLIV.  507 

make  friends  with  Miller,  and  get  liberty  to  read  it,  and  then  clear  out  with 
it.  Don't  recollect  as  any  other  way  was  suggested.  Thinks  nothing  was 
said  about  taking  Morgan ;  don't  recollect  as  any  thing  was  said  about  Mor- 
gan, only  that  he  was  the  one  who  wrote  it." 

Jehiel  C.  S.  Ransom,  attended  a  meeting  of  the  lodge  at 
Lockport,  the  first  week  in  September,  1826.  Measures 
were  proposed  to  suppress  the  publication  of  the  book  pre- 
paring by  Morgan.  He  understood  that  the  meeting  was 
called  for  that  purpose.  He  did  not  remember  seeing 
Maxwell  there,  nor  did  he  know  that  Shepherd  was  pre- 
sent. Eli  Bruce,  called  again  upon  this  trial :  attended  the 
meeting  of  the  lodge  mentioned  by  Ransom,  but  had  no  re- 
collection whether  either  of  the  defendants,  or  even  Ransom 
himself,  was  present.  Orsamus  Turner  was  sworn  likewise 
upon  this  trial.  He  was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  lodge 
referred  to ;  but  did  not  recollect  whether  Shepherd  was 
there.  Maxwell,  he  was  quite  sure,  was  present.  They 
were  at  first,  ten  or  twelve  of  them,  talking  over  the  sub- 
ject of  Morgan's  book,  in  the  street,  and  finally  concluded 
to  go  into  the  lodge-room,  as  being  more  retired.  "  He 
"  had  heard  Maxwell  was  at  Batavia  at  the  time  Morgan 
"  was  carried  offj  and  witness  went  and  asked  him  about  it. 
"  He  admitted  that  he  was  there,  and  told  some  of  the  cir- 
«  cumstances — stating  that  Morgan  had  been  put  in  the  car- 
"  riage  at  Batavia,  and  had  gone  to  Canandaigua.  He  relat- 
"  ed  the  circumstances  pretty  much  as  witness  had  since 
"  heard  them ;  it  could  not  have  been  long  after  news  came 
"  that  Morgan  had  been  carried  off^ — thinks  it  was  before 
"  the  installation,  but  after  he  (witness)  had  been  to  Fort 
"  Niagara  on  the  business.  Defendant  did  not  say  how  long 
"  he  had  been  at  Batavia,  or  that  he  went  with  Hague." 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings,  the  special  counsel, 
finding,  as  the  reporter  in  substance  remarks,  that  the 
witnesses  remembered  nothing  to  the  purpose,  abandoned 
the  prosecutions,  and  the  jury  of  course  rendered  a  verdict 


508  LETTER  XLIV. 

of  "NOT  GUILTY."  The  court  was  thereupon  adjourned 
without  day. 

On  the  22d  of  April  following  these  trials,  the  Governor 
transmitted  to  the  legislature  the  final  report  of  the  special 
counsel  upon  the  whole  transactions  arising  from  the  con- 
spiracy and  the  abduction  of  Morgan,  In  this  report,  Mr. 
Birdseye  stated  very  briefly  the  results  of  the  three  trials 
at  the  late  Special  Circuit  Court,  developing  far  more  than 
had  been  previously  known  of  the  true  character,  and  the 
closing  scene,  of  that  dark  conspiracy,  although  there  had 
been  no  convictions  in  either  case.  The  special  counsel 
considered  that  the  disclosures  warranted  the  opinion  that 
Morgan's  life  had  been  taken;  but  there  was  no  testimony 
inducing  the  belief  that  either  of  the  persons  yet  under  in- 
dictment, with  the  exception  of  Elisha  Adams,  was  present 
at  the  perpetration  of  the  crime.  And  as  to  him,  the  belief 
was  rather  a  matter  of  inference,  than  of  positive  proof. 
Nor  did  the  counsel  suppose,  that,  with  the  exception  of 
Adams,  there  was  any  person  yet  living,  and  wilhin  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  United  States,  who  was  present  when 
the  victim  was  put  to  death. 

The  testimony  on  the  last  mentioned  trials,  had  left  no 
doubt  of  the  forcible  abduction  of  Morgan,  although  by 
threats  and  delusive  promises,  he  had  been  induced  to  re- 
main passive  during  his  journey  from  Canandaigua  to  Nia- 
gara. In  regard  to  P.  Whitney,  Beach,  Chubbuck,  and 
Adams,  the  indictments  against  whom  remained  undisposed 
of  by  reason  of  the  disagreement  of  the  jury,  no  doubt  ex- 
isted of  their  having  acted  under  the  fullest  knowledge  that 
Morgan  vi^as  forcibly  imprisoned  in  the  magazine.  Not- 
withstanding the  efforts  of  the  defendants,  first  to  exclude 
the  testimony  of  Giddings,  and  then  to  destroy  his  credi- 
bility, the  special  counsel  declared  his  belief  that  the  truth 
©f  his  relation  was  not  impaired. 


LETTER  XLIV.  50^ 

As  to  an  indictment  yet  pending  in  Genesee^  and  another 
in  Monroe,  the  commissioner  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  there 
was  not  sufficient  testimony  within  his  knowledge  to  justify 
him  in  bringing  either  of  the  parties  to  trial.  In  regard  to 
the  first,  there  was  also  another  objection,  arising  from  the 
manner  in  which  the  indictment  had  been  procured — less 
than  twelve  jurors  having  agreed  to  find  a  bill.  This 
bill,  however,  had  been  presented  in  pursuance  of  a  com- 
pact by  the  jury  at  the  commencement  of  their  session: 
their  body  was  very  thin,  and  they  had  agreed  that  bills 
found  by  a  majority  should  be  presented.  In  respect  to  the 
case  in  Monroe  county,  (that  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cumings, 
now  settled  in  Pennsylvania,)  Mr.  Birdseye  had  been  as- 
sured by  his  predecessor  in  office,  that  it  neither  could  nor 
ought  to  be  brought  to  trial,  until  Simeon  B.  Jewett  was 
placed  in  a  situation  to  be  examined  as  a  witness ;  and 
from  the  course  this  cause  had  taken,  and  the  length  of  time 
that  must  elapse  before  it  could  be  carried  through  the 
Court  of  Errors,  he  did  not  think  it  would  be  right  to  hold 
the  indictment  over  the  head  of  a  citizen  to  await  such 
a  contingency.  For  these,  and  other  reasons,  which  he 
was  ready  to  communicate  to  the  Governor,  the  special 
counsel  advised  the  entry  of  a  nolle  prosequi  in  both  cases. 

In  regard  to  the  indictments  against  Adams,  Whitney, 
Chubbuck,  and  Beach,  the  special  counsel  intimated  an  opin- 
ion that  no  further  testimony  could  be  procured,  and  no  ad- 
ditional facts  developed;  and  of  course  the  inference  was, 
that  no  good  would  result  from  further  proceedings  in  the 
premises.  Should  they  be  still  prosecuted,  however,  the 
District  Attorney  of  Niagara,  he  thought,  would  be  abun- 
dantly able,  with  the  lights  of  former  investigations  before 
him,  to  take  charge  of  the  matter.  There  would,  therefore, 
be  no  farther  need  of  continuing  the  office  of  special  coun- 
sel. The  document  of  which  I  have  thus  presented  a  brief 
abstract,  is  the  last  official  paper  connected  with  the  Mor-s 
gan  trials.  With  continued  regard,  I  am,  &c. 


510  LETTER  XLT. 


LETTER    XLV. 

New- York,  March  28,  1832. 

Sir, 

In  the  month  of  April,  1831,  a  case  was  tried  before  a 
local  magistrate,  in  the  county  of  Chenango,  New- York, 
which  deserves  to  be  noted  among  the  minor  occurrences 
of  the  present  history.  I  have,  formerly,  had  occasion  to 
speak  of  those  seceding  Masons,  who  have  traversed  the 
country,  giving  exhibitions  of  the  process  of  conferring  the 
several  degrees, — broad  caricatured  representations,  of 
course, — but,  probably,  marked  with  strong  resemblances. 
There  have  been  two  classes  of  these  exhibitors,  viz: — 
those  who  have  resorted  to  the  measure  as  the  most  effec- 
tual method  of  inducing  the  fraternity  to  relinquish  the  or- 
der, and  those  who  have  practised  the  new  vocation  as 
showmen,  for  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness.  Their  re- 
ception has  been  different  with  different  classes  of  the  com- 
munity. The  wonder-loving  uninitiated,  have  crowded 
the  exhibitions  to  arrive  at  a  practical  knowledge  of  the 
mighty  mysteries  of  the  craft ;  those  nominal  Masons  who 
have  forfeited  membership  by  non  user,  and  who  are  anxi- 
ous to  have  the  institution  numbered  among  things  forgot- 
ten, have  laughed  at  the  joke  of  seeing  fools  so  readily 
parted  from  their  money ;  while  the  zealous  adhering 
Masons,  who  seem  determined  to  be  buried  due  east  and 
west  with  their  aprons  on,  have  been  exceedingly  annoyed, 
without  possessing  either  the  wisdom,  or  the  philosophy,  to 
conceal  their  vexation.  In  some  places  w^here  these  exhi- 
bitions have  been  advertised,  the  Masons  have  met  in  num- 


LETTER  XLV.  511 

bers,  and  put  them  down.  In  others,  they  have  deterred 
the  showmen  by  intimidations ;  and  in  others,  again,  actu- 
al riots,  though  none  of  a  very  serious  description,  have 
occurred. 

In  the  case  of  which  I  am  now  to  speak,  however,  a  still 
different  method  was  resorted  to,  with  a  view  of  putting 
an  end  to  these  exhibitions  altogether.  The  laws  of  this 
state  prohibit  showmen  from  traversing  the  country,  and 
picking  the  pockets  of  the  people  by  their  exhibitions,  with- 
out procuring  a  license  for  each  exhibition,  from  two  mag- 
istrates of  the  town  where  their  kick-shows,  or  feats  of  jug- 
glery, are  to  be  displayed  for  the  edification  of 'the  multi- 
tude. The  penalty  for  each  unlicensed  exhibition  of  the 
kind  contemplated  by  the  statute,  is  twenty-five  dollars. 
Much  to  the  annoyance  of  my  brother  Masons  of  the  town 
of  New  Berlin,  in  the  county  of  Chenango,  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Harlowe  C.  Witherell  came  among  them,  and 
gave  an  exhibition,  "  for  gain  or  profit,"  of  what  he  called 
in  his  advertisement,  "  a  practical  demonstration  of  the  first 
"  seven  degrees  of  Freemasonry."  Fired  with  indignation 
at  having  their  hallowed  rites  thus  exposed  to  the  vulgar  gaze, 
at  twenty-five  cents  per  capita  of  the  spectators,  the  over- 
seers of  the  poor,  to  whom  the  revenues  derived  from  show- 
men accrue,  incontinenily  commenced  a  prosecution  for 
the  recovery  of  the  penalty  attached  to  a  violation  of  the 
law.  Connected  with  the  exhibition  were  also  a  series  of 
painted  illustrations  of  Freemasonry,  which  were  specified 
in  the  second  count  of  the  plaintiff's  declaration. 

Although  the  action  was  brought  before  a  justice  of 
the  peace,  yet,  its  nature  gave  it  speedy  notoriety,  and 
imparted  to  it  a  high  degree  of  interest  in  that  community. 
On  the  day  of  trial,  three  lawyers  appeared  on  a  side. 
The  counsel  for  the  defendant  demanded  a  jury.  A  venire 
was  accordingly  issued,  and  a  panel  summoned  by  a  con- 
stable who  happened  to  be  a  Master  Mason.     The  counsel 


512  LETTER  XLV. 

for  the  defendant  challenged  the  array,  upon  that  ground, 
and  also  because  some  of  the  jurors  summoned  were  Ma- 
sons, as  likewise  was  one  of  the  plaintiffs.  The  counsel 
for  the  latter  declined  arguing  the  question.  The  defen- 
dant's counsel  then  read  from  the  statute,  to  show,  that,  if  a 
constable  be  in  any  way  interested  against  or  in  favor  of 
either  party,  it  is  a  good  cause  of  challenge.  The  coun- 
sel for  the  plaintiffs  replied,  and  denied  the  cause  of  chal- 
lenge. The  defence  rejoined,  and  made  a  specific  offer  to 
prove  that  the  masonic  obligations  are  of  such  a  nature,  as 
to  disqualify  its  members  from  acting  impartially  in  a  case 
of  this  kind.  The  court  decided  that  witnesses  might  be 
called  and  examined  to  the  points  specified  by  the  defen- 
dant's counsel.  TJiree  witnesses  were  then  successively 
called,  who  proved  the  fact,  that  the  constable  and  one  of 
the  plaintiffs  were  Freemasons — the  first  a  Master  Mason, 
and  the  second  of  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch.  They  all 
swore,  substantially,  to  the  accuracy  of  the  obligations  as 
disclosed  by  Morgan,  and  printed  in  Bernard's  Light  on 
Masonry,  to  which  I  have  already  referred.  Tv^o  of  the 
witnesses  were  examined  at  considerable  length  as  to  the 
Master  Mason's  obligation,  of  which  they  gave  no  very  fa- 
vorable impressions. 

A  third  witness  was  tlien  called,  but  the  counsel  for  the 
prosecution  expressed  a  wish  to  go  no  further  into  this 
question,  whereupon  the  array  was  quashed  by  the  court, 
and  a  new  venire  issued  and  given  to  a  constable  who  was 
not  a  Mason,  and  by  whom  another  jury  was  summoned. 
In  opening  the  cause  to  the  jury,  the  plaintifTs  counsel  stat- 
ed the  nature  of  the  prosecution,  and  the  grounds  upon 
which  a  verdict  was  claimed.  The  exhibition  of  Wither- 
ell,  which  had  been  held  without  the  permission  of  the  mag- 
istracy of  the  town,  they  maintained  to  be  an  "  idle  show," 
within  the  meaning  of  the  statute  which  prohibits  the 
exhibition  of  "idle   shows,    such  as  common   showmen, 


LETTER  XLV.  513 

"  mountebanks,  or  jugglers  usually  exhibit."  The  Masons, 
it  was  likewise  said,  were  "  a  distinct  society,"  unlike  all 
"other  societies."  The  exhibition,  by  the  defendant,  was 
proved  by  two  witnesses,  who  described  the  ceremonies. 
One  of  them,  on  his  cross-examination,  said  he  had  seen 
several  performances,  but  had  never  seen  "  common  show- 
"  men,  mountebanks  or  jugglers"  give  such  an  exhibition. 
The  question  "  whether  the  defendant  had  stated  that  what 
"  he  had  exhibited  was  true  Freemasonry,"  was  objected 
to  by  the  prosecution — argued  on  both  sides — and  the  ob- 
jection sustained  by  the  court.  The  prosecution  here  rest- 
ed their  cause. 

The  counsel  for  the  defendant  in  his  opening,  denied  that 
his  exhibition  was  any  violation  of  the  statute.  It  in  no 
respect  came  under  the  section  of  the  law  prohibiting  the 
exhibitions  "  of  common  showmen,  mountebanks  and  jug- 
"  glers,"  inasmuch  as  it  was  a  true  and  genuine  exhibition 
of  Freemasonry.  There  was  neither  jugglery,  trick,  nor 
deception ;  and  they  relied  upon  the  proof  of  this  fact  for 
the  acquittal  of  the  defendant.  The  first  witness  called, 
was  examined  as  to  the  nature  of  the  exhibition.  He  gave 
a  minute  account  of  all  the  particulars.  On  the  swearing 
of  the  second  witness,  an  objection  was  raised  by  the  coun- 
sel for  the  prosecution,  against  calling  upon  Masons  to 
prove  their  ceremonies  and  secrets ;  but,  after  argument 
.  upon  both  sides,  the  objection  was  overruled. 

The  examination  proceeded,  and  the  witness  proved  the 
correctness  of  the  exhibition,  so  far  as  it  related  to  the  first 
three  degrees.  Gen.  Augustus  C.  Welch,  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason,  and  sheriff  of  the  county,  was  next  called.  He  un- 
derwent a  long  and  minute  examination  upon  the  general 
tenor,  and  particular  phraseology  of  the  masonic  obliga- 
tions, and  upon  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  lodge-room. 
The  general  scope  of  his  testimony,  confirmed  the  substan- 

65 


514  LETTER  XLV. 

tial  accuracy  of  the  obligations,  as  given  by  Morgan  and 
Bernard,  with  the  few  and  unimportant  exceptions. 

John  Pike,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  also  testified  to  the 
general  accuracy  of  the  obligations,  as  read  to  him  from 
Bernard's  book,  although  he  pointed  out  a  few  variations. 

Another  witness  was  called  ;  but  the  counsel  for  the  pro- 
secution said  they  were  perfectly  willing  to  admit  that  he 
would  testify  precisely  as  the  two  witnesses  last  mentioned 
had  done,  and  they  entreated  the  defence  to  persist  no  long- 
er in  this  examination.  The  witness  was,  however,  very 
briefly  examined  respecting  a  few  prominent  features  of 
the  obligations,  and  his  testimony  strictly  accorded  with 
that  which  had  preceded  him.  General  Welch  and  Jus- 
tice Pike  were  both  examined  very  fully  as  to  the  ceremo- 
nies  of  the  lodges  and  chapters — examinations  which  were 
never  gone  into  on  any  of  the  Morgan  trials.  Only  a  sy- 
nopsis of  their  disclosures  upon  this  branch  of  the  subject, 
has  been  preserved  in  the  report  of  the  case,  as  furnished 
me  by  one  of  the  counsel ;  but,  as  far  as  this  abstract  goes, 
it  corresponds  with  sufficient  verisimilitude,  to  the  Ritual 
recently  published  by  Allyn. 

The  case  was  committed  to  the  jury  at  six  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  At  nine,  the  jury  came  into  court,  and  stat- 
ed that  they  could  not  agree.  They  w^ere  thereupon  dis- 
charged. Five  were  in  favor  of  acquitting  the  defendant, 
and  one  for  liis  conviction.  Counsel  for  the  prosecution, 
Messrs.  Nathan  Beardsley,  John  Hyde,  and  Lyman  J. 
Daniels.  For  the  defendant,  Messrs.  Noah  Ely,  Charles 
A.  Troup,  and  John  C.  Morris. 

It  is  not  the  intrinsic  importance  of  this  case,  in  itself 
considered,  that  has  induced  me  to  present  a  sketch  of  it 
for  your  perusal.  It  derives  some  importance,  however, 
from  the  illustration  it  affords  of  the  state  of  feeling  which 
yet  pervades  a  large  portion  of  the  people,  in  regard  to 
the  masonic  institution. 


LETTER  XLV.  615 

In  May,  1831,  Solomon  C.  Wright  was  brought  to  trial 
on  the  indictment  against  him  for  perjury,  at  the  Ontario 
General  Sessions.  He  had  sworn  that  no  suspicious  car- 
riage had  arrived  at  his  house  in  September,  1826,  and 
had  denied  other  circumstances  calculated  to  identify  the 
persons  and  the  carriage  conveying  Morgan.  On  his  trial, 
it  was  abundantly  shown  that  his  testimony  in  these  re- 
spects was  false  ;  but  the  court  held  that  the  materiality  of 
these  facts,  in  the  original  case,  was  not  sufficiently  shown, 
and  he,  too,  was  acquitted.  This  is  the  last  trial  that  has 
taken  place,  growing  out  of  the  abduction  of  William 
^  Morgan. 

The  next  in  order,  is  a  trial  before  the  Circuit  Court  of 
this  state,  (Judge  Vanderpool  presiding,)  held  at  Albany 
on  the  13th  of  September,  1831,  wherein  Jacob  Gould  was 
plaintiff,  and  Thurlow  Weed  was  defendant. 

In  the  month  of  October,  1829,  the  defendant  was  edi- 
tor of  a  newspaper  at  Rochester,  (where  both  parties  then 
resided,)  called  the  Anti-masonic  Enquirer,  in  which  three 
publications  were  made,  viz.,  on  the  6th,  the  13th,  and  the 
20th  of  that  month,  constituting  the  grounds  of  the  action 
brought  against  him. 

The  first,  viz.,  the  paper  of  the  6th,  stated  that  "  some 
"  months  after  the  abduction  of  William  Morgan,  a  large 
"  sum  of  money  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  General  Jacob 
"  Gould,  of  this  village,  (Rochester,)  the  then  Grand  Scribe 
"  of  the  Grand  Royal  Arch,  ostensibly  for  *  charitable  pur^ 
"^^y<^ses.^  That  a  part  of  this  money  was  paid  to  a  gen- 
"  tleman  at  Lewiston,  and  that  other  sums  were  expended 
"  at  Gaines  and  Batavia — and  that  General  Gould  subse- 
"  quently  reported  to  the  Grand  Chapter,  that  he  had  used 
« the  money  in  the  manner,  and  for  the  purposes  for  which 
"  it  was  appropriated." 

In  the  next,  viz.,  the  paper  of  the  13th  October,  a  letter 
from  General  Gould  was  published,  in  which  he  stated  that 


516  LETTER  XLV. 

**  In  February,  after  the  abduction  of  Morgan,  I  was  elect- 
"  ed  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  and  as  it  is 
"  usual,  particularly  in  masonic  bodies,  there  were  funds 
"  appropriated  for  charity.  During  the  year  I  held  said  of- 
"  fice,  I  received  one  hundred  dollars,'  and  expended  it  in 
"  small  sums,  not  only  '  ostensibly,^  but  really  for  charity, 
"  and  it  is  the  only  money  that  ever  came  into  my  hands 
"  from  the  chapter,  or  any  other  masonic  body,  during  that, 
•*  or  any  other  year." 

To  this  letter  was   subjoined  a  comment  by  the   defen- 
dant, in  which  he  asserted,  that  the  plaintiff"  paid  fifty  dol- 
"  lars  to  a  gentleman  of  Lewiston,  to  defra;f  the  expenses 
**  of  Mrs.  Monroe,  her  son,  and  the  convict  Cron,  from 
"  Canada,  to  give  testimony  in  relation  to  the  body  found 
"  at  Oak  Orchard  Creek."     He  also  averred,  that  in  the 
month  of  June  preceding,  a  conversation  was  held  in  Ro- 
chester between  a  distinguished  counsellor  at  law  whom  he 
named,  and  Jacob  T.  B.  Van  Vechten,  Esq.,  of  Albany, 
the   successor   of  General  Gould  to   the  office  of  Grand 
Scribe,  in  which  the  latter  stated,  "  that  funds  had  been  ap- 
"propriated  by  the  Grand  Chapter,  in  1827,  for  charitable 
"purposes,  six  hundred  dollars  of  wliteh  were  placed  in  the 
"hands  of  General  Gould,  the  then  Grand  Scribe,  who  had 
"  reported  the  following  year,  that  he  had  expended  the 
"  money  for  the  purpose  contemplated — but  that  he  produc- 
"  ed  no  vouchers." 

On  the  20th  October,  the  defendant  copied  into  the  Anti- 
masonic  Enquirer,  a  letter  addressed  by  the  plaintiff  to  the 
editors  of  the  Rochester  Republican,  'in  which  he  declares 
that  he  is  authorized  by  his  successor  in  office,  alluded  to, 
(Mr.  V.  V.)  to  pronounce  the  conversation  mentioned,  so  far 
as  he  is  concerned,  to  be  utterly  false.  He  proceeds  to  re- 
mark— "  the  statements  also,  that  I  paid  fifty  dollai's,  or  any 
«  other  sum  to  get  Mrs.  Monroe,  or  any  other  person  from 
**  Canada,  or  the  insinuation  that  I  ever  paid  one  cent  to 


^  XdJf 


LETTER  XLV.  517 

"aid  any  one  concerned  in  the  abduction  of  Morgan,  to  get 
"  them  clear  of  punishment,  or  any  other  person,  is  also 
"  false."  To  this  communication,  as  well  as  to  the  former, 
the  defendant  added  comments  on  its  republication.  The 
vituperative  parts  on  both  sides  I  shall  omit,  and  present 
only  those  substantial  points  that  conduce  to  the  issue.  The 
defendant  repeats  his  former  averment  relative  to  the  pay- 
ment of  fifty  dollars  by  the  plaintiff,  towards  defraying  the 
expenses  of  Mrs.  Monroe  and  Cron,  (the  man  who  came 
from  Canada  with  her  in  search  of  the  body  of  her  hus- 
band,) and  adds — "I  shall  prove  (alluding  to  the  allegation  of 
"  Gen.  Gould  that  he  had  commenced  a  prosecution  against 
"  defendant,)  that  while  he  was  acting,  (or  pretending  to 
."act,)  upon  a  committee  appointed  by  the  people  of  Mon- 
"  roe  County,  to  investigate  the  masonic  outrage,  he  fur- 
"  nished  money  to  ■  enable  at  least  one  of  the  kidnappers  to 
"  escape  from  justice.  I  shall  (hen  prove  that  he  has  de- 
"  liberately  and  solemnly  sworn  that  he  utterly  disapprov- 
"  ed  of  the  whole  outrage,  and  that  he  had  no  agency  in  it, 
"  either  before  or  after  its  commission." 

The  foregoing  presents  the  ground  on  which  the  declar- 
ation, consisting  of  several  counts,  was  framed  against  the' 
defendant.  On  the  trial,  the  counsel  for  the  plaintiff"  aban- 
doned all  the  counts  except  the  third,  which  charged  the 
plaintiff  with  furnishing  money  to  enable  one  of  the  kid- 
nappers of  Morgan  to  escape  from  justice,  and  that  he  af- 
terwards swore  before  a  grand  jury  that  he  had  no  partici- 
pation in  the  transaction  before  or  after  its  commission. 
To  these  charges  they  would  strictly  confine  the  inquiry. 

Stipulations  of  counsel  had  been  entered  into  relative  to 
the  admission  of  certain  facts,  part  of  which  were  read  by 
the  counsel  for  the  plaintiff,  and  among  which  was  the  pub- 
lication of  the  paragraph  recited.  The  remainder  of  the 
stipulation,  the  counsel  for  the  defendant  proposed  to  read, 
but  it  was  overruled  by  the  court,  except  that  which  ad- 


618  LETTER    XLV. 

mitted  Burrage  Smith  to  have  been  concerned  in  the  ab- 
duction of  William  Morgan. 

The  defendant's  counsel  then  offered  to  prove  that  the 
article  complained  of,  was  in  reply  to  the  plaintifPs  publica- 
tion in  the  Rochester  Daily  Advertiser.  This  likev^ise  was 
overruled,  as  was  also  an  offer  on  the  part  of  the  defen- 
dant's counsel  to  read  the  whole  of  the  article  in  the  Anti- 
masonic  Enquirer  of  October  20th,  upon  a  clause  in  which 
the  plaintiff  relied  for  damages. 

The  defendant  then  offered  a  stipulation  admitting  that 
Burrage  Smith  was  concerned  in  the  abduction  of  Morgan 
which  was  allowed  and  proved. 

John  O.  Cole,  who  had  been  secretary  of  the  Grand 
Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  state  of  New- York,  from  1825 
to  the  date  of  the  trial,  was  next  sworn.  He  testified  that 
a  resolution  was  passed  by  that  body  on  the  10th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1827,  in  the  following  words : — "  Resolved,  that  the 
"**  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
"  the  trustees,  to  be  by  them,  in  their  discretion,  applied  to 
"  charitable  purposes."  Gen.  Gould,  as  Grand  Scribe,  was 
one  of  the  trustees  of  this  fund,  as  was  also  the  witness. 
On  the  same  10th  February,  another  resolution  was  passed 
to  place  three  hundred  of  the  one  thousand  dollars  appro- 
priated for  charitable  purposes,  in  the  hands  of  Jacob  Gould, 
for  which  he  was  to  account.  These  resolutions  were  en- 
tered in  the  regular  course  of  their  occurrence,  on  the 
books  of  the  Grand  Chapter.  On  the  9th  February,  1827, 
the  day  previous  to  the  above  appropriation,  the  following 
extract  is  found  upon  the  same  book. 

"  The  receipts  of  the  year  will  not  equal  the  expenses  of 
'« the  session  by  more  than  three  hundred  dollars.  Numer- 
-«  ous  applications  are  made  for  widows  and  orphans,  and 
"there  are  other  pressing  claims  upon  the  funds."  The 
witness  further  testified,  that  on  the  same  day  the  commit- 
tee on  charities  made  a  report,  appropriating,  in  small  sums. 


LETTER   XLV.  519 

to  various  applicants,  two  hundred  and  ninety-five  dollars, 
which  was  all  .that  could  be  bestowed  in  charities,  without 
encroaching  upon  the  permanent  fund  of  the  Grand 
Chapter. 

Garret  L.  Dox,  who  was  treasurer  of  the  Grand  Chap- 
ter for  many  years,  including  the  period  alluded  to,  testifi- 
ed that  the  usual  mode  of  dispensing  charity  was  to  pass  in 
detail  upon  individual  claims,  after  they  had  been  examined 
by  a  committee  ; — was  present  when  the  appropriation  of 
one  thousand  dollars  was  made  on  the  10th  of  February, 
1827  ;  never  knew  an  instance  of  general  appropriation  for 
charity  before,  nor  to  so  large  an  amount,  either  before  or 
since ;  it  was  offered  and  passed,  he  thinks,  without  re- 
marks. Witness  paid  Gould  (plaintiff',)  three  hundred  dol- 
lars out  of  the  one  thousand  dollars  appropriated,  immedi- 
ate— and  subsequently  paid  one  hundred  dollars  more  on 
plaintiff''s  draft — as  also,  at  a  still  later  period,  one  hundred 
or  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  on  Gould's  drafts,  for  which 
sums  plaintiff*  has  never  accounted,  to  witness's  knowledge. 

Garret  W.  Ryckman,  who  had  been  treasurer  of  the 
Grand  Chapter  since  1830,  produced  the  books,  shewing 
that  nine  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  were  paid  in  1827,  un- 
der the  general  head  of  "  charity, ^^  without  designating  the 
recipient.  Witness  was  satisfied  that  the  two  hundred  and 
ninety-five  dollars  reported  by  the  committee  as  before 
mentioned,  are  not  included  in  the  entry  of  nine  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars.  A  receipt  at  the  end  of  the  year  1827,. 
had  been  cut  out  of  the  receipt  book.  None  other  was  mis- 
sing from  the  whole  book. 

Robert  Martin,  testified,  that  in  1828  he  was  a  member 
of  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Grand  Chapter,  to  audit 
the  accounts  of  the  treasurer.  Recollects  among  the  vouch- 
ers, a  draft  for  three  hundred  dollars,  with  Mr.  Watts's 
name  upon  it,  as  money  paid  to  Gould  ;  thinks  also,  there 
was  a  draft  of  one  hundred  dollars  from  Gould.    "  In  1827 


520  LETTER   XLV. 

"  Di'.  Eights,  of  Albany,  wrote  to  witness  requesting  him 
"  to  get  a  draft  for  one  hundred  dollars,  of  General  Gould, 
"  upon  the  charity  fund.  Witness  called  upon  General 
"  Gould,  received  the  draft,  and  sent  it  to  Dr.  Eights.  Wit- 
"  ness  did  not  shew  Dr.  Eights's  letter  to  General  Gould. 
"  There  was  nothing  said  about  the  object  for  which  the 
"  money  was  wanted.  Gould  asked  witness  no  questions 
"  and  took  no  voucher." 

The  defendant's  counsel  offered  to  prove  that  Gould  had 
made  a  communication  to  the  public,  in  a  newspaper,  stat- 
ing that  he  had  received  one  hundred  dollars  from  the 
Grand  Chapter,  which  he  had  expended  in  small  sums  for 
real  charity,  and  that  he  had  received  no  other  money  what- 
ever from  any  masonic  body  for  any  purpose  ;  but  the  mo- 
tion was  overruled  by  the  court. 

Dr.  Jonathan  Eights  testified,  that  as  an  officer  of  a  lodge, 
in  Albany,  having  occasion  to  use  some  money  for  charita- 
ble purposes,  and  knowing  that  Gould  had  the  control  of 
the  masonic  funds  for  such  purposes,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Mar- 
tin to  get  a  draft  from  Gould  for  one  hundred  dollars,  which 
was  done,  and  the  same  was  received  by  the  witness. 

To  a  question  by  defendant,  as  to  what  Dr.  Eights  did 
with  this  one  hundred  dollars,  the  counsel  for  plaintiff*  ob- 
jected. The  court  asked  the  defendant's  counsel  what  they 
expected  to  prove,  who  replied  that  they  would  prove  by 
Dr.  Eights  that  this  one  hundred  dollars  went  to  Burrage 
Smith,  one  of  the  kidnappers  of  Morgan,  to  enable  him  to 
escape  from  justice,  and  was  the  same  one  hundred  dollars 
referred  to  in  the  clause  upon  which  the  plaintiff'  claimed 
damages.  The  court  decided  that  4he  defendant  must  first 
prove  that  Gould  knew  the  object  to  which  the  money  was 
to  be  applied,  and  therefore  overruled  the  testimony. 

The  witness  stated,  in  continuation,  that  Gould  never 
asked  him  to  account  for  the  money,  nor  did  he  ever  con- 
verse with  him  about  its  appropriation.   Witness  afterwards 


LETTER  XLV*  621 

received  two  drafts  from  Gould,  of  two  hundred  dollars 
each,  in  favor  of  Edward  Doyle,  and  drew  therewith  four 
hundred  dcllars  from  the  Grand  Treasury,  and  deposited 
the  same  in  a  bank  to  Doyle's  credit. 

Samuel  Barton  was  adduced  to  prove  that  Gould  paid 
fifty  dollars  to  the  witness,  out  of  the  one  thousand  dollar 
fund,  to  defray,  in  part,  the  expenses  of  investigating  a  body, 
said  to  be  Morgan's,  found  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Ontario; 
but  the  testimony  was  overruled. 

Robert  King  testified,  that  S.  P.  Gould  &  Co.  (of  which 
firm  the  plaintiflf  was  one,)  had  an  account  against  witness 
and  Burrage  Smith,  who  were  partners.  When  it  was 
rendered,  witness  told  plaintifi"  that  fifty  dollars  of  it  was 
Burrage  Smith's  private  account,  which  he,  (witness,)  would 
not  pay,  offering  to  pay  the  residue.  Gould  told  witness 
that  if  he  would  pay  the  whole  bill,  he  (Gould,)  would  re- 
ceipt it,  and  give  v/itness  a  draft  on  John  O.  Cole,  for  the 
fifty  dollars  which  was  due  from  Burrage  Smith.  The  ac- 
count was  settled  in  the  manner  proposed,  and  witness  took 
a  letter  from  Gould  to  Cole,  in  June,  1827,  upon  which  he 
got  the  fifty  dollars.*  Smith  had  absconded  the  February 
preceding.  Gould  told  witness  that  it  was  so  arranged  that 
Cole  would  pay  the  order,  which  he  did. 

Mr.  Cole,  being  recalled,  stated  that  he  paid  the  fifty  dol- 
lars to  King,  not  out  of  his  private  monies,  but  from  the 
masonic  funds. 

General  Vincent  Matthews  was  sworn,  by  whom  the 
counsel  for  the  plaintiff"  proposed  to  shew  that  Gould,  after 
this  action  had  been  commenced,  stated  that  he  had  never 
received  but  one  hundred  dollars  from  the  Grand  Chapter, 
and  that  it  was  distributed  in  small  charities.  They  also 
oflfered  to  prove,  by  the  same  witness,  the  truth  of  the  whole 
conversation  attributed  to  J.  T.  B.  Van  Vechten,  Esq.,  (as 
published  in  the  Anti-masonic  Enquirer,  of  October  13th, 
previously  referred  to,)  from  which  the  controversy  and 

6a 


522  LETTER   XLVI. 

action  originated.     Objections  were  made  to  the  admission 
on  both  points,  and  they  were  sustained  by  the  court. 

The  plaintiff  called  no  witnesses.  The  cause  was  sum- 
med up  by  counsel  on  both  sides,  and  committed  to  the 
jury,  who  returned  a  verdict  of  four  hundred  dollars  for  the 
plaintiff.  A  bill  of  exceptions  was  taken  by  the  counsel 
for  the  defendant,  and  the  cause  has  been  carried  up  to  the 
Supreme  Court.  It  remains  suh  judice,  and  I  shall  there- 
fore forbear  making  the  comments  which  such  an  unusual 
course  of  proceedings,  in  a  libel  suit,  would,  under  other 
circumstances,  amply  justify. 

^    -  With  respect,  I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XLVI. 

New-York^  March  30,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  conduct  of  the  newspaper  press  in  regard  to  the 
facts  comprised  in  this  eventful  history,  has  been  a  prolific 
source  of  complaint.  After  the  sitting  of  the  Le  Roy  Con- 
vention, however,  in  February,  1828,  the  denunciations  of 
the  press  became  less  frequent  in  popular  meetings,  although 
the  Anti-masonic  conventions  have  never  ceased  to  recur 
to  it,  and  the  subject  has  repeatedly  called  forth  the  finest 
declamatory  powers  of  the  Hon.  Richard  Rush.  But  while 
in  the  preceding  pages  I  have  more  than  once  been  con- 
strained to  admit  that  there  has  been  a  very  grievous  fault 
in  this  matter,  on  the  part  of  a  large  portion  of  the  public 
press ;  yet  there  has  been  much  of  exaggeration  in  the 
charges  so  sweepingly  urged  against  it  ;  and  even  Mr. 
Rush,  upon  this  topic,  appears  throughout  to  more  advan- 
tage as  an  impassioned  rhetorician,  than  as  an  accurate 
commentator  upon  matters  of  fact.     Much,  therefore,  can 


LETTER  XLVI.  523 

be  said  on  both  sides.  The  charge  is,  that,  by  masonic 
influence  and  masonic  power, — by  the  appHcation  of  gold  in 
some  instances,  and  of  threats  in  others, — the  whole  news- 
paper press  of  the  land,  prior  to  the  establishment  of  pro- 
fessedly Anti-masonic  papers,  and  the  whole  press  except  the 
Anti-masonic,  since,  down  even  to  the  present  day, — has' 
been  kept  dumb  in  regard  to  the  unparalleled  outrage  upon 
Morgan,  and  the  extraordinary  transactions  connected 
therewith.  To  this  extent,  or  to  any  thing  like  it,  the  charge 
is  untrue. 

There  are  several  considerations  upon  this  subject  which 
require  weighing  before  it  can  be  properly  understood.  In 
the  earlier  part  of  the  excitement,  the  apparent  silence  of 
the  press,  especially  at  a  distance,  arose  from  a  cause 
which  I  have  already  explained, — the  incredulity,  as  hon- 
est as  it  was  general, — that  existed  in  regard  to  the  whole 
matter.  It  was  not  believed  that  any  real  outrage  had  been 
committed, — or  rather,  perhaps,  such  were  the  doubts  and 
contradictions  respecting  the  affair,  that  the  conductors  of 

the  press  knew  not  what  course  to  take,  or  what  to  say 

When,  however,  it  was  discovered  to  be  a  reality,  there 
was  by  no  means  that  degree  of  profound  and  universal  si- 
lence that  Anti-masons  represent  to  have  been  observed. 
If  I  am  not  very  widely  mistaken,  the  earlier  trials  were 
published  in  many  papers.  The  Ontario  Repository,— one 
of  the  most  faithful  and  vigilant  of  the  public  sentinels  at 
the  west, — stationed  in  the  midst  of  the  excitement, — though 
far  from  being  an  Anti-masonic  paper,  was,  nevertheless, 
prompt  and  full  in  its  reports  of  the  trials, — the  greater 
number  of  which  were  held  in  the  beautiful  village  of  its  lo- 
cation. The  reports  of  that  paper  uniformly  reappeared  in 
the  journals  with  which  I  am  connected,  until  all  the  facts 
of  the  conspiracy,  abduction,  and  journey  to  Fort  Niagara, 
had  been  published  over  and  over  again.  Ample  notices 
were  likewise  published,  from  time  to  time,  of  the  trials  that 


524  LETTER  XLVI. 

followed,  in  which  every  new  fact  was  carefully  noted,  un- 
til the  last  great  trials  came  on  at  Lockport,  when  another 
case  was  published  at  once,  and  spread  before  the  public 
with  all  its  appalling  and  lengthened  details.  The  occa- 
sional proceedings  of  the  legislature,  including  most  of  the 
debates,  were  also  published  to  as  full  an  extent  as  the 
limits  of  an  imperial  sheet  would  permit,  allowing  a  rea- 
sonable share  of  space  for  the  discussion  of  the  various 
other  important  matters  crowding  upon  the  public  attention. 
These  facts  are  referred  to,  not  for  the  purpose  of  claiming 
any  particular  merit,  but  merely  to  show,  that  Mr.  Rush, 
and  other  declaimers  upon  this  subject,  have  paid  too  little 
regard  to  the  actual  facts  of  the  case.  There  w^ere  other 
papers' which  adopted  the  same  course,  until  their  conductors 
honestly  believed  that  the  public  had  become  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  leading  facts  of  the  case. 

But  the  truth  is,  the  Anti-masons  required  too  much  at 
the  hands  of  those  publishers  who  were  actuated  by  a  sin- 
cere desire  to  deal  with  the  most  perfect  fairness  towards 
all  parties.  They  required  the  republication  of  all  the  tri- 
als, at  full  length,  (hough  column  after  column  of  the  testi- 
mony taken  at  each,  was  but  a  stale  repetition  of  what  had 
often  been  proved  and  published  before  ; — they  required  a 
republication  of  all  the  reports  and  documents,  which  follow- 
ed each  other  upon  the  subject,  in  one  or  both  branches  of 
successive  legislatures,  though,  like  the  trials,  these  papers 
were  again  for  the  most  part  repetitions  ;~and  they  also 
required  at  our  hands,  a  publication  of  all  the  reports  and 
speeches,  and  resolutions,  and  journals,  which  the  thousand 
and  one  popular  meetings  and  conventions  sent  forth,  de- 
luging the  country  for  three  or  four  years.  A  compliance 
with  requisitions  like  these,  was  impracticable.  It  would 
have  excluded  almost  every  thing  else  of  public  interest,  re- 
specting the  affairs  of  foreign  nations,  and  the  high  and  va- 
ried interests  of  our  own  country,  from  the  columns  of  the 


LETTER  XLVI.  525 

largest  papers  in  the  Union  ;  while  the  small  village  jour- 
nals, published  but  once  a  week,  which  at  best  can  do  no 
more  than  furnish  an  inadequate  abridgement  of  the  events 
of  the  day,  would  have  been  smothered  with  Anti-masonry 
in  a  single  month :  and  yet  the  charge  against  the  press, 
without  discrimination  or  exception,  was,  that  it  had  been 
bribed,  or-  awed  into  silence,  by  the  Masons.  Sir,  however 
reprehensible  may  have  been  the  conduct  of  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  public  press  in  this  matter, — and  that  it  was 
reprehensible  I  have  not  hesitated  to  admit, — the  evil  was 
not  thus  produced.  I  have  no  idea  that  either  bribery,  or 
intimidation,  was  exerted  to  any  considerable  extent.  There 
might,  it  is  true,  have  been  a  few  individual  cases,  like  that 
of  the  threat  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Doyle,  to  an  unpat- 
ronised  weekly  paper  in  Rochester  ;  but,  sir,  you  may  rest 
assured  that  the  instances  were  exceedingly  few.  My  own 
experience  is  not  inconsiderable  in  this  matter  :  the  course 
which  I  adopted  as  an  editor,  was  such  as  to  draw  forth  as 
much  hostility  from  the  conspirators  an(J  their  friends,  and 
those  who  palliated  their  conduct,  as  that  of  any  other  in- 
dividual in  the  country  ;  and,  I  am  free  to  say,  that  although 
some  of  our  masonic  subscribers  have  differed  with  me,  yet 
with  the  masonic  proscriptions  of  which  I  have  heard  so 
much,  in  the  Anti-masonic  papers,  we  have  never  been  vis- 
ited. It  is  possible  that  the  establishment  in  which  I  am 
interested,  may  have  lost  fifteen  or  twenty  friends,  from  the 
independent  tone  which  has  been  adopted  in  regard  to  this 
matter  ;  but  such  a  loss  is  unworthy  of  being  mentioned.  It 
is  not  greater  than  is  felt  upon  many  other  occasions.  There 
is  scarcely  any  subject  of  morals  or  religion,  or  of  the  pub- 
lic policy  of  the  government,  the  free  discussion  of  which 
does  not,  at  one  time  or  other,  give  offence  in  some  quarter ; 
and  in  all  such  cases,  subscribers  of  papers  whose  minds 
are  too  narrow  to  tolerate  any  difference  with  their  own 
favorite  notions  or  opinions,  resort  at  once  to  the  withdrawal 


526  LETTER  XLVI. 

of  their  names,  as  the  most  convenient  and  certain  mode  of 
retahation  or  revenge ; — as  the  most  powerful  method  of 
exerting  their  own  intellects.  These  are  occurrences  with 
which  every  editor  who  occasionally  ventures  to  essay  an 
opinion  of  his  own,  must  be  familiar :  but  in  regard  to  the 
subject  before  us,  I  hesitate  not  to  assert,  that  in  the  exer- 
cise of  this  narrow-minded  and  American  mode  of  attempt- 
ing to  shackle  the  freedom  of  discussion,  on  a  comparison 
of  facts,  the  Anti-masons  would  have  little  whereof  to  boast 
on  the  score  of  liberality.  While  they  have  been  talking  of 
the  proscriptive  threats  of  the  Masons  towards  such  papers 
as  should  dare  to  publish  the  Morgan  trials,  they  have  them- 
selves been  acting  upon  the  same  principle.  The  proscrip- 
tive resolutions  proceeding  from  their  conventions  and  po- 
pular assemblages,  have  been  numberless  ;  while,  so  far  as 
my  own  experience  goes,  I  believe  1  am  warranted  in  say- 
ing, that  as  miany  Anti-masons  have  testified  their  displea- 
sure because  I  have  not  gone  far  enough  with  them,  as  have 
the  Masons,  becai^se,  in  the  opinion  of  some  of  that  order, 
I  have  gone  tob  far.  My  object,  throughout,  has  been 
TRUTH  without  FEAR  ; "  aud  as  the  good  public  has  always 
more  than  made  up  the  trifling  losses  sustained  from  both 
extremes,  there  has  been  additional  cause  for  believing  in 
*the  soundness  of  the  maxim,  "  in  medio  tutissimus  ibis." 

This  practice  of  withdrawing  subscriptions  from  papers, 
on  every  trivial  occasion,  for  a  mere  difference  of  opinion 
between  the  editor  and  subscriber,  upon  accidental  ques- 
tions, more  frequently  abstract  than  of  national  importance, 
I  have  ventured  above  to  denominate  American.  In  no 
other  country,  according  to  the  best  information  I  can  ob- 
tain, is  it  so  frequently  resorted  to,  as  in  this :  and  in  my 
view,  it  is  but  a  sorry  method  of  manifesting  displeasure,  or 
dissent.  With  papers  long  established,  and  liberally  sup- 
ported, these  individual  instances  of  private  proscription, 
can  have  little  effect ;  but  in  respect  of   papers  enjoying 


LETTER  XLVI*  527 

slender  patronage,  and  struggling  for  existence,  they  strike 
at  the  root  of  the  freedom  of  thought  and  discussion.  In 
this  point  of  view,  connected  with  the  erroneous  principle 
upon  which  all  our  public  journals  are  established,  this  il- 
liberal system  may  be  said  to  work  essential  injury.  So  far 
as  it  goes,  it  is  directly  at  war  with  free  discussion,  and  the 
independence  of  the  press.  Far  better  would  it  be,  in  this 
respect,  if,  in  the  work  of  composing  and  vending  newspa- 
pers, there  was  the  same  division  of  labor,  which  exists  in 
the  Europ^ean  capitals.  There,  the  editors  and  publishers 
have  no  personal  knowledge  of  their  supporters,  as  such ; 
here,  they  are  known  to  nearly  all ;  and  the  support  which 
newspapers  receive,  is  but  too  frequently  begged  on  the  one 
hand,  and  bestowed  on  the  other,  more  in  the  form  of  per- 
sonal favoritism,  than  in  the  manly  and  independent  course 
of  business,  in  which  favors  are  neither  known  nor  acknow- 
ledged on  either  hand.  Where  such  are  the  relations  be- 
tween publisher  and  subscriber,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  the 
freedom  of  the  press.  Every  paragraph  must  be  carefully 
balanced,  and  frequently  all  its  pungency  and  meaning 
must  be  frittered  away,  to  render  it  inoffensive  to  Mr.  A.,  or 
palatable  to  Mr.  B.  Even  gross  official  delinquencies  must 
remain  unwhipped  of  justice,  and  the  cause  of  morality  left 
to  vindicate  itself,  lest  peradventure  the  offending  officer  is 
a  'patron  I  forsooth,  or  Mr.  C.  and  Mr.  D.  do  not  acknow- 
ledge the  same  criterion  of  orthodoxy,  either  in  morals  or 
religion,  which  the  publisher,  according  to  his  sense  of  dut-y, 
would  wish  to  uphold. 

Let  me  not  be  misunderstood,  however,  as  maintaining 
the  opinion  that  the  subscribers  to  a  paper  have  no  right  to 
exercise  this  species  of  influence,  or  to  manifest  their  dis- 
pleasure in  this  way,  under  any,  or  even  under  very  many, 
circumstances.  I  am  speaking  only  of  respectable  papers, 
conducted  by  educated  and  responsible  men, — by  men  who 
have  character  at  stake  themselves,  and  whose  principles 
and  general  mode  of  conducting  their  papers,  are  upon  all 


528  LETTER  XL VI. 

great  cardinal  principles  of  government, — upon  all  leading 
measures  of  public  policy — held  in  common  by  editor  and 
subscriber.  It  is  in  cases  like  these,  that  I  condemn  the 
disposition  so  prevalent  in  this  country,  of  endeavoring  to 
avenge  every  trifling  disagreement,  or  even  a  casual  error, 
by  striking  at  the  pocket  of  the  publisher.  It  is  an  ignoble 
device,  unworthy  of  all  "who  are  willing  that  the  same  free- 
dom of  thought  and  action  should  be  enjoyed  by  others, 
which  they  glory  in  exercising  themselves.  But  when  edi- 
tors are  derilict  in  their  duty  to  the  public, — when  they  be- 
lie their  professions,  and  degrade  their  calling, — when  they 
prove  'recreant  to  their  principles,  or  habitually  violate  the 
proprieties  of  the  press,  and  the  courtesies  and  charities  of 
social  life, — when,  from  change  of  conductors,  or  for  base 
bribes,  they  turn  their  backs  upon  old  friends  and  old  prin- 
ciples,— or  w^hen,  from  general  licentiousness,  personal 
scurrility,  a  mockery  of  things  sacred,  and  a  disregard  of 
those  principles  of  morality  and  virtue  which  form  at  once 
the  jewels  of  private  life,  and  the  true  glory  of  the  state, 
a  newspaper  becomes  unworthy  of  support,  and  unfit  to  be  re- 
ceived into  families, — then  is  it  a  high  moral  duty  to  discard 
the  offender,  and  make  him  feel  the  heaviest  weight  of  public, 
as  well  as  of  private  indignation  and  scorn.  But  in  such  in- 
stances, the  remedy  should  be  effectually  applied  ;  for  every 
effort  to  crush  the  growth  of  vicious  principles,  or  to  check  the 
career  of  those  who  disseminate  them,  which  falls  short  of  the 
object,  "  serves  no  other  purpose  than  to  render  them  more 
"  known,  and  ultimately  to  increase  the  zeal  and  number 
"  of  their  abettors.*' 

But  to  return  to  the  subject  of  immediate  consideration. 
There  is  a  cause  for  the  silence  of  a  very  large  portion  of 
the  press,  in  regard  to  Morgan's  abduction,  and  the  transac- 
tions connected  with,  and  growing  out  of  it,  which  did  not 
probably  occur  to  Mr.  Rush,  when  he  penned  his  first  and 
principal  philippic,  but  which  is  the  most  prominent  of  the 


LETTER  XLVI.  529 

xvhole.  I  mean  the  withering,  palsying  spirit  of  party, 
which  has  taken  such  deep  root  in  our  soil,  and  which  ex- 
ercises such  a  fatal  influence  upon  our  political  and  social 
relations.  Scarcely  had  the  public,  beyond  the  confines  of 
the  original  excitement,  begun  to  believe  that  there  had 
actually  been  an  outrage,  before  the  question  assumed  a  de- 
cidedly political  aspect.  This  was  at  once  fatal  to  every 
e/Tort  for  a  universal  dissemination  of  correct  information, 
and  for  the  cause  of  truth.  The  eloquent  Robert  Hall  re- 
marks, that  "  When  a  public  outrage  is  committed  against 
*'  the  laws,  the  crime  is  felt  in  a  moment."  But  this  able 
divine  knew  little  of  the  nature  of  party  spirit,  as  it  is  in- 
culcated and  fostered  by  the  demagogues  of  the  United 
States.  The  spirit  of  party,  here,  has  neither  a  tongue  to 
speak,  nor  ears  to  hear,  nor  eyes  to  see,  any  thing  that  may 
perchance  militate  against  its  favorite  objects  or  idols. 
Hence,  from  the  moment  that  Anti-masonry  began  to  array 
itself  against  the  powers  that  be,  the  crime  which  had  been 
committed,  could  neither  be  seen,  felt,  nor  exposed,  by  the 
conductors  of  the  party  presses  attached  to  the  majority. 
You  may  perhaps,  sir,  be  startled  at  the  boldness  and  ap- 
parent incongruity  of  the  assertion,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true,  that  there  is  but  little  freedom  of  the  press  in  this 
country.  Talk  as  we  please  of  the  despotisms  of  Europe, — 
of  the  restraints  imposed  upon  the  mind  and  the  tongue, — 
I  hesitate  not  to  avow,  that  neither  in  England  nor  in  France, 
is  the  press  held  in  such  abject  subjection,  as  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  American  presses  are  by  demagogues,  and  the 
discipline  of  party.  It  is  said  to  be  a  difficult  thing  to  draw 
the  line  between  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  its  licentious- 
ness ;  but  heaven  knows  that  in  this  country  the  line  is  as 
broad  and  as  visible  as  can  be  desired.  We  have  licen- 
tiousness enough  on  all  sides,  and  upon  every  possible  sub- 
ject, ^he  eye  sickens  at  the  profligacy  -of  the  press,  and 
the  mind  turns  from  it  with  abhorrence  and  loathing.  With 

67 


530  LETTER  XLVI. 

this  portion  of  the  press,  the  bitterness  of  party  is  mingled 
in  every  thing ;  and  the  ferocity  of  its  attacks,  is  equalled 
only  by  the  profligacy  of  its  conductors.  "  Gorgons,  hy- 
"  dras,  and  chimeras  dire,  are  harmless  monsters  compar- 
"  ed  with  such  a  press.  No  matter  how  virtuous,  how  in- 
"  nocent,  or  elevated,  or  noble,  or  persuasive,  or  beneficent 
"  the  character  may  be,  which  is  the  object  of  its  extermi- 
"  nating  purpose, — be  it  Socrates,  or  Cato,  or  Peter,  or 
"  Paul,  or  John  Rodgers,  or  the  Saviour  of  men  himself; 
"  there  are  neither  e.yes,  nor  ears,  nor  heart,  nor  compunc- 
"  tion,  nor  feeling,  nor  flesh,  nor  blood.  The  general  and 
"  inexorable  cry,  crucify  !  crucify  !  consummates  the  fate 
"  of  the  victim."  Still,  with  all  this  apparent  liberty,  it  is 
not  that  liberty  of  the  press  which  is  the  safeguard  of  free- 
dom. There  is  among  the  mere  party  papers,  little  of  that 
noble  spirit  of  independence,  that  is  exercised  in  England 
and  France,  which  assumes  the  right  of  free  and  manly  dis- 
cussion of  every  subject  in  which  the  public  becomes  from 
day  to  day  interested,  or  which  appertains  to  the  political 
or  civil  relations  of  the  country.  When  a  candidate  is  to 
be  assailed,  or  an  incumbent  hunted  down, — no  matter  for 
his  services,  his  wants,  the  purity  of  his  character,  or  his 
claims  upon  the  gratitude  of  his  country, — "  spare  no  ar- 
"  rows,"  is  the  maxim ;  while  the  cause  of  sound  morals, 
and  enlightened  government,  and  the  love  of  truth,  are  as 
far  from  their  thoughts  as  the  remotest  orb  from  the  dull 
sphere  on  which  they  arc  unworthy  to  tread.  It  has  been 
well  remarked  by  the  anonymous  author  I  have  just  quoted 
above,  that  every  good  has  its  counterbalancing  evil.  "  The 
"  contemplation  of  the  delightful  freedom  of  our  institu- 
«  tions,.  is  most  pleasant.  But  ihe  extreme  license,  the 
"  coarse  abuse,  the  gross'  misrepresentations,  the  frequent 
"  and  unprovoked  assaults  of  private  character,  the  wanton 
"  dragging  of  niamos  before  the  public  eye, — these  are  great 
"  counterbalancins:  evils  of  freedom,  for  which  there  can 


LETTER  XLVI.  531 

"  be  no  effectual  corrective,  but  the  slow  and  distant  one,  to 
"  be  found  in  an  enlightened  public  sentiment.  Whenever 
"  general  feeling  shall  be  guided  by  gentlemanly  tact,  and 
"  correct  conceptions  of  what  is  right,  and  respectable,  and 
"  dignified,  and  of  good  report,  any  attempts  of  those  who 
"  assume  to  sway  that  feeling,  and  direct  the  public  senti- 
«  ment,  to  overstep  the  limits  of  decorum,  unsustained  by  it, 
"  would  be  at  once  repressed  by  a  general  and  palpably  in- 
"  dignant  expression  of  the  public  award  in  the  case.  The 
'"  rebuked  party  would  be  instantly  awed  back  to  propriety 
"  and  duty.  Unhappily,  all  the  individual  minds  of  which 
"  the  public  mind  is  composed,  are  so  liable  to  be  swayed  by 
"  prejudice  and  passion,  and  there  is  so  much  temper  in 
*«  party  feeling,  mixed  up  with  all  the  expressions  of  the 
"  public  will  amongst  us,  that  it  is  long  before  we  may  pro- 
^'  mise  ourselves,  that  they,  who  are  the  most  efficient  in 
"  guiding  public  opinion,  will  find  their  land-marks,  and 
"  stand  corrected  when  they  go  beyond  them."  The  fer- 
vent prayers  of  all  good  men  are  needed,  that  this  time  may 
speedily  come  ;  for  unless  it  does,  it  is  greatly  to  be  fear- 
ed that  the  evil  w^ill  have  become  incurable.  A  lax  state 
of  political  morals  among  the  people,  and  a  degenerate 
press,  operate  with  mutual  and  fatal  effect  upon  each  other, 
and  the  course  at  the  present  day  is  tending  downward 
with  fearful  rapidity. 

None  knew  better  than  Mr.  Rush  this  low  condition  of 
the  party  presses  of  the  day ;  the  manner  in  which  most 
of  them  had  been  established ;  or  the  effective  party  orga- 
nization which  they  support,  and  by  which  in  turn  they 
are  supported.  Whence,  then,  seeing  that  Anti-masonry 
had  become  political,  his  surprise  at  their  silence  in  regard 
to  the  murder  of  Morgan,  and  the  fruitless  efforts,  legisla- 
tive, judicial,  and  by  voluntary  associations,  made  to  dis- 
cover and  bring  to  punishment  the  authors  ?  It  is  not  in 
the  case  ef  Morgatr^fone,  that  more  than  a  moiety  of  the 


532  LETTER  XLVI. 

press  has  been  silent.    .  There  have  been  other  atrocities, 
equalling  the  outrage  upon  Morgan,  that  have  been  conceal- 
ed from  the  readers  of  those  papers,  or  denied,  or  extenu- 
ated, for  political  purposes.     Look  at  the  conduct  of  the 
same  description  of  presses  at  the  present  moment.     Look 
at  the  government  papers,  from  v^^hich,  if  from  any,  the 
people  should  receive  the  fullest  and  most  impartial  details 
of  the  public  affairs  of  the  land.     The  same  vindictive  spir- 
it of  party  which  I  have  been  attempting  to  describe  :  the 
same  suppressions  of  every  publication  calculated  to  ren- 
der even  common  justice  to  their  political  opponents:  (he 
same  studied  suppressions  of  the  truth,  which  marked  the 
course  of  the  presses  opposed  to  Anti-masonry,  is  openly 
practised,  and  publicly  defended.     An  Enghsh  or  French 
journalist,  would  scorn  to  suppress  the  speeches  in  opposi- 
tion, in  either  the  parliament,  or  the  chambers.     No  mat- 
ter how  strong  their  party  feelings,  the  presses  on  that  side 
of  the  Atlantic  would  never  stoop  so  low  as  to  deprive  the 
adversary  of  a  fair  hearing.     The  speeches  and  documents, 
therefore,  upon  all  questions  of  moment,  are  impartially  re- 
ported, and  the  comments  of  the  editors,  given  thereon  in 
gentlemanly  language.     There  is  a  degree  of  fairness  and 
manliness  in  this  course  of  political  conti'oversy,  which 
commands  respect,  and  illustrates  the  true  character  and 
uses  of  the  freedom  of  the  press.     But  instead  of  imitating 
such  examples,  of  candor  and  magnanimity,  by  publishing 
the  speeches  of  the  soundest  and  most  eloquent  in  opposi- 
tion, our  partizan  prints,  from  the  government  official  to  the 
end  of  the  catalogue — make  a  merit  of  substituting  there- 
for, their  own  miserable  commentaries  and  malignant  dis- 
tortions.    Why,  then,  I  would  again  ask,  should  Mr.  Rush, 
and  the  other  leaders  of  the  Anti-masonic  party,  after  they 
had  made  the  controversy  political, — and  it  began  to  as- 
sume that  aspect  in  a  very  short  time, — dwell  so  much 
upon  the  silence  of  the  presses  opposed  to  them?     That  si- 


LETTER    XLVI.  5S8 

ience,  I  repeat,  was  only  in  conformity  to  the  tactics, — to 
"the  systems,"^of  party  discipline,  and  was  in  fact  no 
greater  cause  of  marvel  than  is  presented  to  our  observa- 
tion every  month  in  the  year.  There  may  have  been,  and 
there  doubtless  v^^ere,  papers  conducted  by  Masons,  who 
refused  to  break  silence  because  they  were  such.  But  these 
instances  were  few  ;  and  it  is  the  baneful  influence  of  party 
spirit,  and  the  tyranny  of  party  "  systems,"  and  the  artful 
appliances  of  controlling  demagogues,  to  which  we  are  to 
look  for  the  causes  of  what  Mr.  Rush  has  called  "  the  dull 
"  insensibility  of  the  press"  in  regard  to  the  murder  of  Mor- 
gan. It  was  not,  therefore,  because  Morgan  was  slain  by 
Masons,  that  these  presses  were  silent ;  but  because  assist- 
ance to  those  who  were  laboring  to  avenge  the  broken  ma- 
jesty of  the  laws,  would  have  been  injuring  "  the  party." 
And  if  another  Morgan,  and  yet  another,  were  to  be  ab- 
ducted, and  murdered,  every  month,  so  that  a  political  con- 
troversy would  be  made  of  it,  the  same  course  would  again 
be  pursued  by  the  same  men.  It  is  indeed  a  deplorable 
state  of  things, — such  as  almost  to  induce  a  belief  that  the 
press  has  become  of  questionable  utility.  Certainly,  from 
more  than  one  half  of  the  newspapers  of  the  United 
States,  the  people  derive  no  benefit  either  on  the  score  of 
intelligence,  or  morals.  The  small  modicum  of  knowledge 
which  is  imparted  to  them,  only  leads  them  into  error,  and 
instead  of  enlarging  and  liberalizing  their  minds,  they  are 
narrowed  by  new-created  prejudices,  and  blinded  by  mis- 
representations that  are  not  accidental.  A  great  cause  of 
this  alarming  evil,  is  to  be  found  in  what  the  world  igno- 
rantly  enough  conceives  to  be  a  blessing, — the  cheapness  of 
newspapers,  and  the  facility  with  which  new. ones  are 
established.  In  England,  there  is  attached  to  the  newspa- 
per press,  an  array  of  talent  and  learning,  which  commands 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  community.  In  France, 
the  great  master  spirits  of  literature  and  science — the  first 


534  LETTER  XLVir. 

men  of  the  age  and  country,  are  connected  with  the  press. 
Hence,  when  it  speaks,  it  is  with  a  degree  of  force,  and  en- 
ergy, and  talent,  calculated  to  render  the  press  that  effec- 
tive engine  of  moral  power  w^hich  it  was  designed  to  be- 
come. But  it  is  far  otherwise  in  this  land  of  a  thousand 
newspapers.  Five  hundred  dollars,  raised  by  subscription, 
will  start  a  press  ;  every  village  must  have  its  paper ;  jealous- 
ies arise,  and  that  paper  must  have  its  competitor.  Person- 
alities soon  take  the  place  of  argument,  even  upon  local  and 
trivial  matters :  flippancy  is  mistaken  for  wisdom  ;  smart- 
ness for  talent ;  epithet  for  argument ;  and  a  reckless  disre- 
gard of  the  feelings  of  others,  and  of  the  courtesies  of  life, 
for  that  manly  independence  which  ought  to  characterize  the 
guardians  of  the  citadel  of  freedom. 

But  nil  desperandum  should  be  the  watch-word  of  eveiy 
patriot:  and  though  we  have"  in  some  respects  fallen 
upon  evil  times,  yet  we  shall  do  well  to  remember,  in  the 
words  of  Robert  Hall,  "that  wisdom  and  truth,  the  offspring 
"  of  the  sky,  are  immortal ;  while  cunning  and  deception, 
"  the  meteors  of  the  earth,  after  glittering  for  a  moment, 
"  must  pass  away.*' 

With  high  regard,  I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XLVII. 

New- York,  March  31,  1832. 
Sir, 

The  judicial  history  of  Anti-masonry  is  closed,  and 
yet  the  inquiry  remains  : — "  What  was  the  fate  of  Morgan  ?" 
For  notwithstanding  the  number  and  extent  of  the  legal  in- 
vestigations described, — notwithstanding  the  number  of 
persons  engaged,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  abduction, — 
and  notwithstanding,  likewise,  the  fact,  that  some  of  the  ac- 


LETTER  XLVIt.  635 

tors  in  the  dark  conspiracy,  had  become  witnesses  for  the 
state,  no  evidence  had  yet  been  elicited  showing  what  was 
the  ultimate  fate  of  the  wretched  victim  ;  or,  if  his  life  had 
been  taken,  marking,  with  judicial  certainty,  the  persons  of 
his  executioners.  It  is  indeed  one  of  the  most  extraordina- 
ry features  of  this  conspiracy,  that,  when  the  fatal  secret 
must  have  been  known,  (at  least  with  sufficient  certainty  to 
have  indicated  the  principals,)  to  so  many  people,  no  disclo- 
sure should  have  been  made  of  the  particulars  of  the  last 
terrible  act  of  the  drama.  Neither  the  apprehensions,  nor 
the  jealousies,  usually  existing  among  partners  in  crime  ; 
nor  the  hope  of  reward  ;  nor  the  compunctious  visitings  of 
conscience  ;  had  the  effect  to  produce  any  satisfactory  le- 
gal disclosures,  in  regard  to  the  final  disposition  of  Morgan, 
after  his  confinement  in  the  magazine.*  This  fact  furnishes 
the  strongest  possible  illustration  of  the  strength  of  the  tie 
which  bound  the  conspirators  together,  while  it  affords  an 
unanswerable  argument  against  the  continuance  of  any  so- 
cial institution  whatever,  that  can  exert  such  a  dangerous 
power,  for  evil,  as  well  as  for  good,  if  indeed  good  can  again 
flow  from  it. 

The  difficulty  of  procuring  testimony,  was,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  legal  investigations,  the  greatest  obstacle  with 
which  the  prosecutors  had  to  contend.  Witnesses  either 
fled  the  country  voluntarily,  or  were  spirited  away,  or  were 
hired  to  absent  themselves,  in  numbers,  and  with  a  readi- 
ness, altogether  unexampled  in  the  judicial  annals  of  this,  or 
perhaps  any  other  country.  Often  did  it  happen,  that,  when 
the  officers  of  justice  had  been  apprised  of  the  existence  of 
fresh  testimony,  or  when  they  had  become  acquainted  with 
the  place  of  retreat,  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of  our  own 
state,  of  important  witnoRses,  while  they  supposed  the  pos- 

*  EUsha  Ailams,  mig'ut,  perhaps, have  formci!  an  exception  to  this  remark, 
had  not  a  misconception  of  duty,  on  the  part  of  Governor  Throop,  induced 
Jiimto  withhohl  the  rev,'ard  that  liud  hcen  oftr'rcd  h}'  Governor  Clinton. 


536  Letter  xlvii. 

session  of  such  knowledge  was  a  secret  in  their  own  bo- 
soms, such  witnesses  have  been  secretly  apprised  that  the 
officers  would  soon  be  upon  them,  and  were  thus  enabled 
again  to  escape  their  vigilance.  In  other  instances,  have 
these  witnesses,  when  caught  by  surprise,  while  in  charge 
of  the  officers,  been  followed  hundreds  of  miles  by  members 
of  the  fraternity,  interested  in  the  fate  of  the  accused,  until 
plans  could  be  matured,  and  the  means  put  into  operation, 
to  steal  them  away  from  their  keepers.  In  other  cases  still, 
witnesses  have  no  sooner  agreed  to  make  honest  revela- 
tions of  the  facts  with  which  they  were  acquainted,  than 
they  have  been  surrounded  by  their  masonic  brethren,  and 
so  successfully  dissuaded  from  their  good  resolutions,  as  to 
become  as  silent  and  uncommunicative  upon  the  subject  as 
the  sphynx.  Examples  of  this  description  have  already 
been  noted  in  the  progress  of  this  history,  and  others  might 
be  adduced  were  it  necessary.  Money  seemed  to  be  of  no 
value,  in  these  matters.  Travelling  agents  were  kept  in 
pay,  whose  duty  it  was  to  visit  the  absconding  witnesses  in 
their  places  of  retreat,  and  strengthen  their  integrity  to- 
wards each  other.  Even  Giddings,  much  as  they  affected 
to  discredit  his  testimony,  was  tampered  with,  and  money 
oftered  him  to  any  amount  he  might  desire,  if  he  would  leave 
the  country. 

Nor  was  this  all.  When,  after  encountering  every  diffi- 
culty, the  attendance  of  reluctant  witnesses  had  been  secur- 
ed, their  conduct,  as  it  has  already  been  seen,  was  often  of 
the  most  exceptionable  character.  In  many  instances,  the 
manner  of  the  witnesses  upon  the  stand,  was  painful  to  look 
upon.  Whatever  of  truth  was  obtained,  was  absolutely 
wrung  from  them.  There  was  not  only  an  almost  uniform 
evasiveness  of  manner,  among  the  masonic  witnesses,  but 
numerous  cases  of  obvious  and  palpable  falsehood.  "  Some 
"  of  them  exercised  a  species  of  casuistry,  in  relation  to  their 
"judicial  oath,  which  is  not  a  little  remarkable.     It  seems 


LETTER    XLVII.  537 

*'  that  those  implicated  had  argued  themselves  into  the  belief, 
"  that  there  was  no  greater  sin  than  the  breaking  of  a  ma- 
"  sonic  oath,  even  in  obedience  to  the  paramount  laws  of 
"  the  land ;  that  if  they  told  the  truth  in  relation  to  theout- 
"  rage,'  they  should  divulge  a  secret  which  they  were  ma- 
"sonically  bound  to  keep,  which  would  criminate  them- 
"  selves  ;  and  that,  therefore,  their  only  course  was  to  tes- 
"  tify  that  they  knew  nothing  about  the  affair.  Strange  as 
"  is  the  infatuation  manifested  by  this  reasoning,  there  was 
"  not  wanting  a  counsellor  of  the  Supreme  Court,  a  Royal 
**  Arch  Mason,  to  advise  them,  that  if  they  were  implicated 
"in  the  affair,  they  might  thus  safely  swear.  Many  wit- 
"  nesses,  to  whom  circumstances  almost  unerringly  pointed, 
"  as  having  a  knowledge  of,  or  being  implicated  in,  some 
*'  portion  of  the  transaction,  did  come  forward,  and  solemnly 
"  make  oath  of  their  entire  ignorance  of  it;  while  others, 
*'  pretending  to  give  an  account  of  their  knowledge  of  the 
"  transaction,  testified  in  such  a  way,  as  to  leave  an  impres- 
"  sion  upon  the  mind  of  every  auditor,  that  they  had  not 
"  satisfied  that  part  of  their  judicial  oath,  which  required 
"  them  to  tell  the  whole  truth.  Witnesses,  in  several  in- 
"  stances,  came  into  court  with  their  own  counsel,  a  cir- 
"  cumstance  unheard  of  in  courts  of  justice  before,  to  ad- 
"  vise  with  them  what  questions  they  were  legally  bound 
"to  answer."  The  instances  of  peremptory  refusals  to  tes- 
tify, in  the  cases  of  Bruce,  Turner  and  John  Whitney,  have 
already  been  stated,  in  the  progress  of  the  trials,  too  pro- 
minently to  be  soon  forgotten — for  which  contumacy  they 
were  severally  fined  and  imprisoned.  But  fines  and  impris- 
onment, for  this,  or  for  the  si  ill  greater  offence  of  having 
participated  in  the  abduction,  were  nothing.  The  prison- 
ers were  cheered  by  their  friends  without,  and  lavishly 
supplied  with  the  comforts  and  elegancies  of  life,  not  only 
by  individual  contributions,  but  by  lodges  and  chapters, 

hundreds  of  miles  from  the  scens  of  action.     Indeed,  it 

6S 


538  LETTER   XLVII. 

seemed  as  if  the  guilty  portion  of  the  fraternity,  and  the 
not  guilty,  who,  by  the  cry  of  *'  persecution,"  had  been 
brought  to  sympathise  with  the  sufferers,  "had  set  down, 
"  and  coolly  counted  the  cost  of  the  matter  ;  and  come  to 
"  the  determination,  that  it  was  wise  to  shut  the  door  com- 
**  pletely  against  the  bare  chance  of  establishing  the  murder 
"  of  Morgan,  by  any  facts  or  inferences  to  be  derived  from 
"  their  testimony,  even  though  it  should  be  done  at  the  ex- 
"  pense  of  the  liberty  and  property  of  some  of  its  members. 
"  In  these  instances,  the  power  of  a  portion  of  the  fraterni- 
"  ty  came  into  collision  with  the  laws  of  the  land,  in  a  most 
"marked  manner,  and  set  them,  and  their  penal  require- 
"  ments  at  defiance." 

But  notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties,  enough  was 
proved  to  render  the  fact  morally  certain,  that  the  misera- 
ble and  unhappy  Morgan  was  basely  murdered,  by  a  band 
of  assassins,  in  obedience,  as  they  erroneously,  and  wicked- 
ly, and  most  unaccountably,  believed,  to  the  laws  of  specu- 
lative Freemasonry.  Such  was  the  belief  to  which  Mr. 
Spencer  had  arrived,  in  the  course  of  his  laborious  investi- 
gations ;  and  such,  also,  was  the  decided  conviction  of  that 
gentleman's  successor  in  the  office  of  special  counsel.  Mr. 
Birdseye's  language,  in  his  final  report  to  the  Governor,  is 
this  : — "  The  information  thus  elicited,  is  sufficient,  I  trust, 
"  to  satisfy  the  public  mind  as  to  the  ultimate  fate  of  Mor- 
"  gan :  that  he  was  taken  into  the  Niagara,  at  night,  about 
"  the  19th  of  September,  and  there  sunk.  Yet  the  evidence, 
"  although  apparently  sufficient  for  all  purposes  of  human 
"  belief,  is  not  sufficient  to  establish,  with  legal  certainty, 
"  and  according  to  adjudged  cases,  the  murder  of  Morgan." 

There  was  strong  circumstantial  testimony  warranting 
this  conclusion,  in  addition  to  that  elicited  at  different  times, 
upon  the  various  trials.  The  information  communicated  to 
Mr.  Terry,  and  several  other  Masons,  in  Canada,  immedi. 
ately  after  the  transaction,  was  of  a  positive  character, "  that 


LETTER    XLVII.  539 

"  Morgan  had  been  murdered,  and  his  body  sunk  in  Lake 
"  Ontario."     The  declaration  of  Ganson,  (who,  though  he 
was  acquitted,  was  unquestionably  one  of  the  original  con- 
spirators,) to  Mr.  Lyman  D.  Prindle,  who  furnished  a  depo- 
sition to  the  Levviston  Committee,  was  very  strongly  cor- 
roborative of  this  fact.     "  Let  me  tell  you,"  said  Ganson  to 
Prindle,  who  had  expressed  an  opinion  that  Morgan  might 
have  been  rescued,  "  you  know  nothing  about  it :  suppose 
"  there  had  been  carriages  at.  every  road  leading  into  Ca- 
"  nandaigua,  ready  to  receive  Morgan,  in  case  he  had  been 
"  pursued  ;  he  could  have  been  shifted  ;  and  let  me  tell  you 
*'  it  was  the  case  :  let  me  tell  you,  if  you  could  hang,  draw, 
"  and  quarter,  or  gibbet  the  Masons  who  had  a  hand  in  it,  it 
"  would  not  fetch  Morgan  back.     He  is  not  dead,  hut  he  is 
^^put  where  he  will  stay  puU  until  God  Almighty  calls  for 
"  Aim."  This  is  a  strong  item  of  circumstantial  proof, — for  the 
words,  "  he  is  not  dead,"  mean  just  nothing  at  all.     The 
emphasis  belongs  in  the  last  clause  of  the  declaration  ;  and 
it  was  intended  to  convey  a  safe,  and  yet  fearful  meaning,  not 
to  be  misunderstood.     At  about  the   same  period  of  time, 
as  it  appears  from  the  depositions  of  two  individuals  of  the 
town  of  Byron,  in  the  county  of  Genesee,  Dr.  Samuel  Tag- 
gart,  of  said  town,  stated  that  he  had  long  been  apprised  of 
the  fact,:— and  that  "  he  should  not  be  afraid  to  bet  a  thou- 
"  sand  dollars,  that  Morgan  was  not  in  the  land  of  the  liv- 
"  ing  :  that  he  had  taken  a  voyage  on  Lake  Ontario,  without 
"  float  or  boat,  and  would  never  be  seen  again  by  any  hu- 
"•  man  being."     Another  Mason,  at  Batavia,  stated,  at  about 
the  same  time,  in  reply  to  an  inquiry,  that  "  Morgan  had 
"  gone  a-fishing,  on  the  Niagara  River." 

Corroborative  testimony,  going  to  show  that  Morgan  was 
put  to  death,  has  also  been  disclosed  in  another,  and  unex* 
pected  quarter — Vermont.  You  will  not,  sir,  have  forgot- 
ten the  name  of  Dr.  S.  Butler — the  same  person  who  was 
sent  forward  from  Staflbrd  to  Batavia,  to  herald  the  ap- 


540  LETTER    XLVII. 

proach  of  Cheselioro's  party  in  quest  of  Morgan,  on  the 
evening  of  September  10th,— the  same  Dr.  Butler  who  was 
subsequently  selected,  by  the  sheriff  of  Genesee,  as  the  fore- 
man of  a  grand  jury,  whose  duty  it  was  to  investigate  the 
circumstances  of  the  outrage,  and  who,  as  foreman,  declar- 
ed that  they  must  not  permit  the  Masons  to  suffer.  This. 
Dr.  Butler,  it  appears,  sometime  afterwards,  removed  to 
Franklin  County,  in  Vermont ;  and  I  have  now  before  me 
sundry  depositions,  from  respectable  gentlemen  in  that  coun- 
ty, setting  forth  that,  since  Butler's  removal  thither,  he  has, 
in  repeated  conversations  with  masons,  admitted  the  murder 
of  Morgan  to  have  taken  place.  .  On- one  occasion,  during 
an  intermission  in  the  meeting  of  Mississqui  Lodge,  he  sta- 
ted that  "  Morgan  was  killed,  and  that  Col.  William  King, 
"  and  two  others,  whose  names  the  deponent  does  not  now 
"  recollect,  executed  the  penalty  of  his  obligation,  or  words 
"to  that  effect."  To  a  remark  that  it  must  have  been  an 
honorable  business,  as  honorable  men  were  engaged  in  it, 
'*  truly,"  he  replied,  "  the  most  honorable  we  have  in  that  coun- 
"  try  /"  And  he  further  observed,  that  *'  he  did  not  know 
"  but  the  whole  business  would  yet  come  to  light,  as  there 
"  was  one  who  was  called  on  as  an  evidence,  and  who,  it 
"  was  feared,  would  disclose,  the  whole  truth  ;  and  that  the" 
"  sheriff  said,  if  he  did  he  should  not  get  home  alive  /"  On  an- 
other occasion,  in  the  town  of  Enosburgh,  Vermont,  in  re- 
ply to  a  question  put  to  him  by  a  brother  Mason,  whether 
he  believed,  that  Morgan  was  in  fact  murdered  ?  He  said, 
♦'  there  was  not  the  least  doubt  of  it,  and  that  he  justly  de- 
« served  death  I  He  further  stated,  that  he  might  have 
"  known  all  the  particulars  about  it — that  Mr.  Bruce,  sher- 
**  iff  of  Niagara  County,  told  him  that  Morgan  was  actually 
"  put  to  death,  and  would  have  told  him  the  whole  transac- 
•'  tion,  but,  said  he,  *  I  told  him  (Bruce)  to  stop  ;  if  Morgan 
**  was  dead  it  was  enough.  I  also  cautioned  him  to  say 
*•  nothing  about  it  to  any  person," 


LETTER  XLVIT.  ^  541 

It  will  be  recollected  that  on  the  night  of  the  14th,  after 
the  installation,  a  party  of  fifteen  or  twenty  persons,  be- 
sides those  belonging  to  the  fort,  came  from  Lewiston,  and 
were  in  consultation  there,— taking  supper  at  the  house  of 
Giddings.  During  that  nighf,  consultations  were  held  at  a 
meeting  of  these  persons  on  the  plain  near  the  grave-yard, 
as  to  the  manner  in  which  Morgan  should  be  disposed  of. 
All  agreed  that  by  the  violation  of  his  masonic  obligations, 
he  had  incurred  the  penalty ;  they  determined  to  execute 
that  penalt}^  and  cast  his  body  into  the  river.  But  while 
they  were  proceeding  to  the  cell  for  that  purpose,  one  of  the 
number  relented,  and  the  execution  was  deferred.  On  the 
following  night  another  consultation,  was  held,  having  the 
object  in  view.  Giddings  expressed  .a  desire  that  Morgan 
should  be  released,  at  which  King  became  offended.  Gid- 
dings thereupon  gave  up  the  key  of  the  magazine,  which 
was  entrusted  to  Elisha  Adams.  Morgan  was  confined  in 
the  magazine  until  the  night  of  September  19th,  when,  ac- 
cording to  the  belief  of  Mr.  Birdseye,  and  others  who  have 
investigated  the  circumstances,  he  was  put  to  death  by  be- 
ing drowned  in  the  depths  of  the  Niagara. 

Col.  King,  David  Hague,  and  Burrage  Smith,  were  all 
dead,  long  before  the  investigations  were  brought  to  a  close. 
King  died  very  suddenly,  in  the  spring  of  1829,  at  a  pub- 
lic house  in  Lewiston,  the  morning  after  hearing  of  the  tes- 
timcHiy  given  by  Bruce,  on  the  trial  of  John  Whitney, — 
after  which  trial,  confident  as  he  had  been  on  his  return 
from  Arkansas,  he  could  have  had  no  hope  of  escaping 
conviction.  These  three  men  were  doubtless  engaged  in 
the  final  deed,  together  with  Howard,  who  had  escaped  to 
England.  Ehsha  Adams,  who  received  the  key  of  the 
magazine,  where  Moi^an  was  confined,  when  Giddings 
surrendered  it,  and  left  Niagara  for  York,  died  soon  after 
his  trial.  King  is  represented  through  the  whole  of  the 
transactions  after  Morgan's  arrival  on  the  frontier,  as  the 


542  LETTER    XLVII. 

most  bitter  and  vindictive  in  his  feelings  against  him,  for 
having  betrayed  the  secrets  of  Masonry.  He  was  proud 
of  his  masonic  honors,  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the  institu- 
tion, and  the  leader  of  the  conspirators,  after  the  victim 
had  been  brought  v^^ithin  his  power.  It  was  he  who  awak- 
ed Giddings  in  the  night,  when  Morgan  was  brought  to 
the  brink  of  the  river,  with  the  exclamation — "  we  have  got 
"  the  d d  perjured  rascalj"  <^c.  It  was  he  who  repeat- 
edly proposed,  even  as  early  as  the  night  of  the  14th,  that 
Morgan  should  be  put  to  death.  It  was  King,  and  Bruce, 
and  Hague,  who  took  Morgaa,  bound  and  hood-winked* 
from  the  coach,  by  the  grave  yard,  near  the  fort,  on  the 
night  of  the  13th.  It  was  King,  who  endeavored  to  push 
matters  to  extremities,  by  representing,  as  Ganson  had  done 
at  Batavia,  that  he  was  authorized  to  suppress  the  book  by 
a  letter  from  Gov.  Clinton ;  and  it  was  he,  who,  with  Col. 
Jewett,  signified  to  Giddings,  on  his  return  from  York,  that 
Morgan  had  been  executed  during  his- absence,  and  request- 
ed him  to  walk  the  beach,  and  keep  a  look  out  for  the  body. 
In  corroboration  of  this  latter  statement  of  Giddings,  a 
piece  of  circumstantial  testimony  was  ehcited  by  Mr.  J.  C. 
Spencer,  before  a  grand  jury,  previously  to  the  death  of 
King,  which  is  directly  to  the  point.  The  death  of  King 
having  prevented  his  being  brought  to  trial,  this  testimony 
never  came  out  in  court.  It  was  this  :  A  witness,  (under- 
stood to  be  Dr.  Pope,)  testified  to  the  grand  jury  of  Niagara, 
that  at  some  time,  from  two  to  six  weeks  after  the  abduc- 
tion of  Morgan,  he  heard  that  a  body  had  floated  upon  the 
beach,  one  or  two  miles  below  Fort  Niagara,  and  that  a  cor- 
oner's jury  had  been  summoned  to  hold  an  inquest  upon  it. 
Witness  was  at  Lewiston,  and  saw  Col.  King  walking  to 
and  fro  upon  the  steps  of  a  hotel.  King  called. to  him,  and 
said — "  Doctor  don't  you  want  a  subject  ?"  He  replied  in 
the  negative ;  but  King  followed  up  his  question  by  saying 
that  a  body  had  floated  upon  the  beach,  a  coroner's  jury 


LETTER  XLVn.  54S 

was  about  to  be  held, — and  the  body  would  be  buried — but 
the  doctor  could  take  it  to  the  fort,  and  have  any  room  [for 
the  dissection,]  that  he  pleased.  The  witness  answered  that 
the  body  would  be  of  no  use,  as  it  had  probably  been  spoil- 
ed by  the  water.  King  replied, — "the  coroner  has  sum- 
"  moned  me ;  I  told  him  I  had  business  at  Lewiston,  and 
"  could  not  stay :  I  am  afraid  it  is  the  body  of  Morgan : 
"  Should  it  prove  to  be  so,  we  shall  hear  to-night.  You 
"  must  go  to-night  and  take  it  up  and  hide  it,  and  take  care 
"  of  it :  You  must  put  it  where  it  can  never  be  found." 
King  was  extremely  agitated,  and  the  witness  was  alarmed 
for  him,  as  he  evidently  believed  it  was  the  body  of  Mor- 
gan. The  doctor  answered, — "  If  you  have  got  into  any 
"  difficulty,  you  must  work  your  way  out  of  it, — I  will  have 
"  nothing  to  do  with  it."  King  thereupon  turned  to  wit- 
ness and  said, — "  You  must  go."  Witness  repeated  "  that 
"  he  should  not, — that  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it." 
Upon  this  refusal,  the  manner  of  King  became  changed, 
and  he  said,  as  if  in  a  jocose  way, — "  I  guess  it  is  Morgan 
"  — it  is  Morgan," — and  laughed  quite  heartily,  as  if  he  had 
passed  a  joke  upon  witness.  But  the  laugh  was  evidently 
affected,  and  the  doctor  thought  it  any  thing  else  than  a 
joke.     King  knew  him  to  be  a  Mason. 

This  disclosure,  taken  in  connexion  with  a  request  made 
by  King  to  Giddings,  that  he  should  watch  the  shore,  lest 
the  body  should  float  up  and  be  discovered,  is  of  great  im- 
portance in  making  up  a  decision  ;  and,  when  added  to  the 
numerous  other  circumstances,  bearing  upon  the  same 
point,  leads  to  the  irresistable  conclusion  that  the  murder 
was  perpetrated,  in  manner  and  form  before  indicated. 
But  there  is.  yet  other  testimony.  Mr.  James  A.  Shed,  the 
witness  examined  on  the  trials  of  Adams,  P.  Whitney,  and 
associates,  and  whose  demeanor  was  such,  through  long 
and  searching  examinations,  as  to  acquire  the  fullest  confi- 
dence of  the  co\n*t  and  bar  for  integrity  and  veracity,  has 


544  LETTER  XLVII. 

presented  the  world  with  another  and  most  interesting  sec* 
tion  of  this  fearful  history.  The  confession  was  made  to 
him  about  six  months  after  the  deed  was  committed,  by  a 
Knight  Templar. 

On  the  19th  of  September,  eight  Masons,  having  finally 
determined  to  put  their  prisoner  to  death,  believing,  proba- 
bly, that  it  would  be  safer  to  have  a  smaller  number  actu- 
ally concerned  in  the  execution,  held  a  consultation  as  to 
the  best  mode  of  proceeding.  The  object  was  to  select 
three  of  their  number  for  executioners,  and  to  have  the 
other  five  excluded,  and  so  excluded,  that  neither  should 
know  who  else,  besides  himself,  was  thus  released,  or,  who 
were  the  executioners.  For  this  purpose,  the  following  in- 
genious process  was  devised : — They  placed  eight  tickets 
in  a  hat,  upon  three  of  which  were  written  certain  marks, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  each  one  of  their  number  should 
simultaneously  draw  a  ticket.  They  were  instantly  to  se- 
parate, before  examining  their  tickets,  and  walk  away  in 
different  directions,  until  entirely  out  of  sight  of  each  other. 
They  were  then  to  stop  and  examine  ihe  slip  of  paper  they 
had  drawn,  and  the  five  drawing  the  blanks  were  to  return 
to  their  own  homes,  taking  different  routes,  by  which 
means  neither  of  them  would  know  who  had  drawn  the 
fatal  numbers,  and  of  course  no  one  of  the  five  could  be  a 
witness  against  the  others !  The  three  drawing  the  tickets 
designated, — a  bloody  hand  should  have  been  the  device, — 
were  to  return  to  the  magazine  at  a  certain  hour,  and  com- 
plete the  hellish  design.  The  manner  of  his  murder,  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  by  attaching  heavy  weights  to  his  bo- 
dy, and  taking  him  out  into  the  middle  of  the  stream  in  a 
boat,  where,  at  the  black  hour  of  midnight,  he  was  plung- 
ed into  the  dark  and  angry  torrent  of  the  Niagara ! — The 
boat  for  this  purpose  was  got  in  readiness  by  Adams,  in 
obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  vengeful  conspirators. 
But  he,  with  a,ll  those  deeper  than  himseif  in  guiit,  (e:jcept- 


LETTER  XLVII.  545 

mg  the  villain  Howard,)  failing  in  being  brought  to  justice 
in  this  world,  has  been  summoned  to  render  an  account  at 
the  bar  of  a  higher  tribunal. 

Such  was  the  melancholy  fate  of  William  Morgan, — a 
free  American  citizen,  whose  death  is  unavenged.  He  was 
stolen  from  the  bosom  of  his  family  by  an  infamous  perver- 
sion of  the  forms  of  law, — he  was  thrust  into  prison  for 
the  gratification  of  private  malignity, — he  was  kidnapped 
under  the  guise  of  friendship, — transported  like  a  malefac- 
tor one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  through  a  populous  coun- 
try,— and  executed  in  cold-blood  by  a  gang  of  assassins, 
under  circumstances  of  as  damning  atrocity  as  ever  stain- 
ed the  annals  of  human  delinquency  !  Nor  was  the  crime 
perpetrated  by  ignorant  or  hungry  banditti,  or  for  the  lust 
of  power,  or  of  gold.  The  circle  of  the  conspirators,  em- 
braced, directly  and  indirectly,  hundreds  of  intelligent  men, 
acting,  not  on  the  spur  of  the  occasion,  from  sudden  im- 
pulse or  anger,  but  after  long  consultations,  and  weeks,  and 
even  months,  of  preparation.  Those  immediately  engag- 
ed in  the  conspiracy,  were  men  of  information,  and  of  high 
standing  in  their  own  neighborhoods  and  counties ;  em- 
bracing civil  officers  of  almost  every  grade  ;  sheriff's,  legis- 
lators, magistrates;  lawyers,  physicians,  and  even  those 
whose  calling  it  was  to  minister  at  the  altar  in  holy  things. . 
Along  the  route  of  the  captive,  the  members  of  the  mason- 
ic fraternity  left  their  occupations,  however  busily  or  ur- 
gently engaged,  and  flew  at  a  moment's  warning,  to  aid  in 
his  transportation  to  the  spot  where  his  suflferings  were 
ended.  A  clergyman  preceded  him,  moreover,  heralding 
his  approach  from  town  to  town,  and  announcing  his  cap- 
tivity to  the  assembling  brethren  before  whom  he  was  si- 
multaneously to  deliver  a  discourse,  dedicating  a  masonic 
temple  to  the  service  of  God  and  the  holy  St.  John ;  and 
enforcing  the  golden  maxims  of  "  peace,  harmony,  and 

Arrived  at  the  end  of  his  journey, 
69 


546  LETTER  XLVII. 

the  wretched  victim  was  imprisoned  in  a  fortress  over 
which  the  banner  of  freedom  was  streaming  in  the  breeze. 
In  vain  did  he  plead  for  his  life ;  and  in  vain  did  he  im- 
plore the  privilege  of  once  more  beholding  his  wife  and 
children.  Nay,  more,  with  worse  than  barbarian  cruelty, 
was  his  final  request  of  a  Bible,  to  sooth  his  last  hours,  and 
point  him  the  way  to  a  brighter  world, — brighter,  far, 
had  he  been  prepared  to  enter  it,  than  that  upon  which  he 
was  in  a  few  hours  forever  to  close  his  eyes  !  And  what 
was  the  mighty  offence  of  the  miserable  man,  that  he  must 
thus  be  hurried  to  his  final  account,  without  being  allowed 
a  last  farewell  of  his  wife, — ^without  suffering  a  single  ray 
of  divine  light  to  glance  across  his  path,  or  illumine  the  dark 
atmosphere  of  his  dungeon, — but  sent  to  his  dread  abode 
with  all  his  imperfections  on  his  head! — Why,  forsooth,  he 
was  about  to  expose  the  wonderful  secrets  of  Freemason- 
ry ! — It  was  feared  he  would  tell  how  "  poor  blind  candi- 
"  dates"  are  led  about  a  lodge  room  by  a  **  cable  tow,"  and 
how  they  kneel  at  the  altar,  at  one  time  on  one  knee,  and 
at  another  time  upon  the  other  !  It  was  feared  he  would 
tell  how  they  stumble  over  the  emblems  of  "  the  rugged 
path  of  human  life,"  or  bend  with  humility  beneath  "  the 
living  arch  I" 

"  If  it  were  so,  it  was  a  grievous  fault ; 
And  greviously  hath  Morgan  answered  it." 

It  is  but  too  true  that  his  virtues  did  not  plead  like  an- 
gels in  his  behalf.  But  Humanity  weeps  over  the  deed, 
while  Justice  was  "  trumpet-tongued,  against  the  deep 
damnation  of  his  taking  off!' 

Very  truly  and  respectfully  yours,  &g. 


LETTER  XLYIII.  547 


LETTER    XLVIII. 

New- York,  April  1,  1832. 

Sir, 

The  next  and  only  remaining  inquiry,  is,  to  what  ex- 
tent were  the  members  of  the  masonic  body,  collectively, 
or  the  lodges  and  chapters,  as  such,  concerned  in  the  con- 
spiracy, which  ended  in  the  murder  of  William  Morgan  ? 
That  several  lodges  and  chapters,  and  a  large  number  of 
Masons  in  the  western  part  of  this  state,  were  parties  to 
the  conspiracy  before  the  fact, — that  a  very  considerable 
number  of  the  fraternity  were  actually  engaged  in  it, — - 
and  that  many  more  subsequently  became  cognizant  of  it, — 
are  facts  which  have  been  conclusively  shown  in  the  pro- 
gress of  the  preceding  narrative.  But  it  is  unfair  and  unjust 
that  the  innocent  should  suffer  in  reputation  with  the  guilty  ; 
and  it  has  been  an  important  part  of  my  design  to  preserve 
the  line  of  separation  distinctly  in  the  preceding  pages.  But 
notwithstanding  all  my  anxiety,  and  all  my  eftbrts  to  re- 
duce the  circle  of  the  guilty,  with  their  aiders  and  abettors, 
to  the  smallest  possible  circumference,  it  is  yet  much  broad- 
er than  I  could  have  wished,  or  than  I  hoped  to  have  found 
it,  on  a  careful  re-investigation  of  the  whole  matter. 

It  has  been  the  impression  of  Anti-masons  generally, — 
and  with  many  the  impression  has  ripened  into  conviction, 
— that  the  project  of  the  abduction  of  Morgan  was  planned 
and  matured  in  the  lodges,  and  that  his  murder  was  resolv- 
ed upon  from  the  outset.  The  idea  has  likewise  prevailed, 
erroneously,  as  I  flatter  myself  has  already  been  shown, 
that,  from  the  very  nature  and  constitution  of  the  society. 


548  LETTER  XLVIII. 

whatever  is  devised  in  one  lodge  or  chapter,  must  be  known 
to  all,  and  whatever  is  known  to  one  Mason,  touching  the 
interests  and  affairs  of  the  craft,  must  be  alike  familiar  to 
all.     Such,  however,  is  not  the  fact.     The  particular  local 
measures  of  a  lodge  in  Batavia,  or  a  chapter  in  Rochester, 
are  no  more  likely  to  be  known  in  the  lodges  of  Boston, 
New-York,  or  New   Orleans,  than  are  the  purely  local 
transactions  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society  of  Harvard,  to 
the  members  of  Yale  College,  or  of  Brown  University.    In 
regard,  moreover,  to  far  the  larger  proportion  of  men  who 
are  called  Masons, — who,  although  they  have  long  since 
taken  the  degrees,  have  also  long  since  ceased  turning  their 
attention  to  the  subject,  and  are  consequently  Masons  only 
in  name, — they  are  no  more  likely  to  become  acquainted 
with  masonic  secrets,  or  masonic  transactions,  than  those 
who  have  never  entered  the  vestibule  of  a  masonic  edifice. 
For  a  long  time  after  the  outrage,  it  was  my  sincere  belief, 
that  the  crime  was  the  work  of  a  very  small  number  of  ig- 
norant masonic  zealots,  without  the  knowledge  or  coun- 
tenance of  persons  of  character  or  intelligence ;  and  it  was 
much  longer  still,  before  I  could  bring  myself  to  believe, 
that  any  masonic  body  whatever,  had  in  any  wise  been  ac- 
cessary to  the  atrocious  transaction.      But  these  opinions 
were  successively  forced  to  yield  before  accumulating  proofs 
that  could  not  be  withstood. 

That  the  conspiracy  was  extensive,  is  evidenced  by  the 
whole  history  of  the  investigations.  From  the  moment  it 
became  known  that  Morgan's  work  was  in  preparation,  it 
excited  great  commotion  among  the  Masons  at  Batavia, 
and  its  immediate  neighborhood.  Consultations  were  held, 
and  various  expedients  suggested  for  preventing  the  publi- 
cation, and  for  suppressing  it,  after  it  had  been  commenced. 
The  most  flagrant  of  those  means  have  been  disclosed  in 
the  progress  of  the  present  work.  Morgan  was  alternately 
flattered  and  threatened ;  but  to  no  purpose.     His  expecta- 


LETTER  XLVIIf.  549 

tions  of  immense  profits  were  excited,  and  he  already  fan- 
cied that  he  was  half  enabled  to  purchase  an  El  Dorado  for 
himself.  He  was  therefore  not  to  be  persuaded,  or  purchas- 
ed, to  abandon  his  design.  Consultations  were  then  held  upon 
a  larger  scale,  and  the  attention  of  the  several  masonic  bo- 
dies at  Buffalo,  Rochester,  Lockport,  Canandaigua,  and 
elsewhere,  was  called  to  the  subject.  We  have  seen  by  the 
testimony  produced  by  the  state,  on  the  last  of  the  Lock- 
port  trials,  that  the  Chapter  of  Bethany,  at  the  head  of 
which  was  the  Rev.  Lucius  Smith,  had  sent  forth  a  visiting 
committee  to  various  masonic  bodies,  upon  this  subject.  A 
very  particular  account  of  the  consultations  of  the  lodge  in 
Buffalo,  was  furnished  to  the  Lewiston  Convention  by 
Thomas  G.  Green,  who  made  oath  to  the  facts.  From  his 
deposition  it  appears  that  he  attended  a  meeting  of  the  lodge 
sometime  between  the  20th  of  August,  and  the  7th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1829,  at  the  invitation  of  Howard,  alias  Chipper- 
field.  This  deponent  presided  on  that  occasion.  The  busi- 
ness before  them  was  the  threatened  publication  of  Morgan, 
and  the  most  suitable  means  that  could  be  adopted  to  sup- 
press it.  Howard  proposed  himself  and  another  member, 
as  a  committeee  to  attend  to  the  subject.  The  motion  was 
agreed  to,  with  an  understanding  that  no  measures  of  vio- 
lence were  to  be  taken.  A  short  time  afterwards,  Howard 
requested  Green  to  go  with  him  to  the  lodge-room  that  eve- 
ning, where,  he  said,  a  few  were  to  meet.  In  the  evening, 
the  deponent  started  to  go  thither,  and  on  the  way,  fell  in 
with  Howard,  but  did  not  go  to  the  lodge-room.  They 
walked  together  back  of  the  village,  where  Howard  and  the 
deponent  had  the  following  conversation : — Howard  asked 
Green  if  he  w^as  willing  to  aid  him  in  suppressing  the  book. 
He  replied  that  he  was  willing  to  assist  as  far  as  was  rea- 
sonable and  proper,  or  according  to  what  was  proposed  at 
the  former  meeting  of  the  lodge.  Howard  requested  a  de- 
cisive answer  one  way  or  the  other — he  wanted  to  know 


550  LETTER    XLVIII. 

whether  he,  the  deponent,  was  for  the  Masons,  or  against 
them.     The  deponent  said  he  was  for  them,  and  was  will- 
ing to  aid  in  suppressing  the  book  if  it  was  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  masonic  institution,  and  asked  what  plan 
tliey  intended  to  pursue.      Howard  said  they  intended  to 
go  to  Batavia  and  get  the  manuscript  papers  of  the  book; 
they  were  to  get  them  peaceably  if  they  could,  if  not,  by 
force ;  and  if  they  could  not  obtain  them  without,  they 
would  take  Morgan  and  Miller  and  carry  them  off  too. 
This  deponent  finally  consented  to  join  the  party,  and  go  to 
Batavia,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  papers  in  the 
manner  proposed.     The  deposition  proceeds  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  the  fruitless  expedition  to "  Batavia,  on  the  night  of 
the  8th  of  September,  of  which  a  full  narrative  has  been 
heretofore  given.     It  is  in  evidence  that  the  chapter  of  Ro- 
chester was  consulted;  and  no  doubt  exists  of  the  fact  that 
the  profligate  Johns  was  brought  from  Canada,  and  paid  by 
the  Encampment  of  Knights  Templars  at  Rochester.     We 
have  the  evidence,  under  oath,  that  a  special  lodge  was 
convened  at  Le  Roy,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  of  the  day  oii 
which  Morgan  was  seized  and  carried  away  from  Batavia : 
and  a  cloud  of  witnesses  have  testified  to  the  measures 
concerted  with  reference  to  this  outrage,  in  the  chapter  of 
Lockport.     Elder  Bernard  informs  us,  that  five  weeks  be- 
fore the  outrage,  the  proposed  work  of  Morgan  was  the 
theme  of  conversation  among  his  brother  Masons  in  the 
town  of  Covington,  where  he  then  resided,  and  that  a  Bap- 
tist clergyman, — a  Royal  Arch  Mason  of  high  standing, 
declared  to  him,  that  Morgan  must  be  put  out  of  the  way, 
— adding,  that  with  so  much  complacency  did  God  regard 
the  institution  of  Freemasonry,  that  he  would  be  one  who 
would  help  to  do  it !      Indeed  it  may  with  safety  be  said, 
ihat  the  zealous  and  acting  Masons,  generally,  west  of 
"Canandaigua,  were  more  or  less  cognizant  of  the  measures 
taking  against  Morgan,  and  many  of  them  actually  con- 


LETTER  XLVIlf.  551 

cerned.  At  Lockport,  in  December,  three  months  after 
the  outrage,  Bruce  was  elected  Scribe  of  the  chapter,  upon 
the  express  ground  that  he  was  entitled  to  the  office,  from 
his  exertions  in  the  case  of  Morgan.  Colonel  King  was 
elected  and  installed  High  Priest  of  the  chapter  at  Lewis- 
ton,  at  the  moment  when  he  held  Morgan  a  prisoner  in  a 
solitary  cell,  seven  miles  distant,  and  had  murder  in  his 
heart ;  while  a  large  assembly  of  Masons  at  the  solemn 
festival,  were  unquestionably  assenting  to  the  abduction. 

But  notwithstanding  all  their  antecedent  preparations, 
they  scarcely  knew  their  own  ultimate  purposes.  The  first 
determination  was  to  suppress  the  book  ;  and  all  peaceable 
means  having  failed  in  the  accomplishment  of  that  object, 
arrangements  were  made  for  assembling  a  large  body  of 
Masons  from  different  and  distant  places,  at  Batavia,  on 
the  night  of  the  8th  of  September,  to  act  forcibly,  if  neces- 
sary. A  party  of  fifteen  or  twenty  persons  from  Buffalo, 
assembled  at  a  tavern  four  miles  west  of  Batavia,  on  the 
afternoon  of  that  day,  and  proceeded  towards  the  village 
in  the  evening.  At  the  same  time  a  party  arrived  in  the 
suburbs  of  Batavia,  from  Lockport.  There  were  people 
at  Stafford  from  Canandaigua,  and  a  large  number  were 
marched  from  thence  in  the  evening,^under  Colonel  Saw- 
yer. Mr.  Green  testified  that  a  large  party  were  expected 
from  Canada.  The  forcible  removal  of  Morgan  was  at 
that  time  contemplated  ;  but  the  project  then,  was  to  have 
taken  him  directly  from  Batavia  to  Lockport,  and  thence  to 
Niagara.  Various  circumstances  conspired  to  defeat  the 
execution  of  the  design,  at  that  time.  Green  supposes  that 
a  piece  of  inadvertency  on  his  own  part,  was  the  means  of 
the  frustration  of  the  scheme.  The  taking  of  Morgan  ta 
Canandaigua,  was  a  separate  plot,  not  originally  contem- 
plated, and  of  sudden  device.  E'  en  the  conspirators  at 
Batavia,  were  not  aware  of  it,  until  the  moment  arrived  for 
its  execution.  "  Indeed,"  to  quote  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Spenceiv 


552  LETTER  XLVIII. 

**  no  very  definite  purpose  appears  to  have  been  originally 
**  formed.  .  The  immediate  exigency  seems  to  have  been 
"  his  removal  at  all  events,  and  his  final  disposition  proba- 
"  bly  did  not  enter  into  the  calculation  of  those  who  v^ere 
"  concerned  in  carrying  him  to  Lewiston." 

From  the  foregoing  view  of  facts,  which,  necessarily,  are 
in  part  but  a  recapitulation,  it  is  rendered  positively  cer- 
tain, that,  so  far  from  the  abduction  having  been  the  device 
of  a  few  mad-men,  in  a  moment  of  passion,  it  w^as  a  work 
of  deliberation,  and  of  extensive  correspondence  and  con- 
cert among  the  acting  Masons,  individually  and  collec- 
tively, over  a  wide  space  of  country.  This  conclusion  is 
inevitable, — the  facts  supporting  it  irresistible.  The  next 
inquiry  is, — to  what  extent,  if  any,  were  the  Masons,  either 
indirectly  or  collectively,  at  a  distance  from  the  scene  of 
action,  concerned  in  this  nefarious  transaction  ?  So  far  as 
it  regards  a  previous  knowledge  of  the  conspiracy,  it  is  a 
question  of  difficult  solution.  There  is  but  little  proof 
either  way.  The  assertions  of  Ganson  and  King,  of  hav- 
ing had  a  previous  correspondence  with  Governor  Clinton, 
have  already  been  refuted.  They  were  never  entitled  to 
a  moment's  consideration.  Among  the  depositions  collect- 
ed by  the  Lewiston  convention,  was  one  of  a  Mr.  Wilder, 
of  Genesee  county,  who  swears  to  conversations  with  a 
Mason  by  the  name  of  Grant,  before  and  after  the  abduc- 
tion. In  the  former,  while  conversing  upon  the  subject  of 
Morgan's  design  to  reveal  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  Grant 
stated,  that  "  they  had  sent  to  the  Grand  Lodge  for  in- 
*'  structions,  and  when  they  should  get  word  from  that 
"  body,  something  would  be  done."  In  the  subsequent  con- 
versation with  the  same  man,  and  others,  he  was  given  to 
understand  that  Morgan  was  dead.  It  is  possible  that 
some  of  these  infatuated  men  may  have  thus  previously 
written. to  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  but  hardly  probable. 
To  the  Grand  Lodge  they  could  not  have  written,  as  it  was 


LETTER    XLVIII.  553 

not  in  session.  General  Stephen  Van  Rennsselaer  was 
Grand  Master  at  that  time,  and  Elisha  W.  King  Deputy 
Grand  Master ;  and  in  the  names  of  those  pure,  high-mind- 
ed and  honorable  men,  the  public  has  an  ample  guarantee 
that  they  were  never  even  improperly  approached. 

From  the  statement  of  Giddings,  it  appears  that  Colonel 
King  did  have  a  correspondence  upon  the  subject  with  Mr. 
Gibbons,  a  distinguished  Mason  of  Boston.  But  the  letter 
exhibited  by  King  from  that  gentleman,  was  written  after 
the  abduction,  and  was  one  of  inquiry  into  the  particulars 
of  the  outrage.  But  this  correspondence  was  a  natural,  and 
doubtless  an  innocent  one,  since  King  was  a  near  relative  of 
the  writer,  who  had  been  a  delegate  to  the  General  Grand 
Chapter,  to  which  the  stolen  manuscripts  had  so  recently 
been  presented,  and  by  which  they  had  been  so  promptly 
sent  back.  This  circumstance,  therefore,  amounts  to  no- 
thing. But  there  was  another  correspondence,  which  did 
take  place,  and  which  disserves  attention  in  this  connexion. 
It  has  been  established  beyond  the  possibility  of  dispute,  by 
disclosures  made  under  oath  early  in  the  last  year,  that  a 
correspondence  was  opened  between  some  of  the  Masons 
in  Batavia  and  its  neighborhood,  and  the  Masons  of  the 
northern  part. of  Vermont,  in  regard  to  Morgan's  anticipat- 
ed treachery  to  the  institution.  Letters  were  received 
by  members  of  Mississque  lodge,  in  Enosburgh,  from  the 
master  of  a  lodge  in  Genesee,  stating  that  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Morgan  was  about  to  reveal  the  secrets  of  the  or- 
der, and  soliciting  advice  in  the  premises.  Replies  were 
sent,  advising  to  a  course  of  moderation.  Two  letters  upon 
this  subject,  were  written  to  Vermont,  previously  to  the 
outrage,  by  Dr.  S.  Butler,  with  whose  name  you  must  by 
this  time  have  become  familiar.  This  correspondence, 
however,  proves  nothing  criminal,  or  even  censurable,  in 
regard  to  the  conduot  of  the  Masons  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
dressed.    On  the  contrary,  they  gave  proper  advice  in  re- 

70 


554  LETTER  XLVIII. 

ply.  But  it  shows  that  there  were  some  Masons  far  dis- 
tant from  the  theatre  of  the  excitement,  who  must  have 
been  prepared  for  the  event  that  did  happen.  A  Mason  of 
high  respectabiHty,  of  Saratoga,  has  moreover  informed 
me,  that,  soon  after  the  abduction,  he  was  told  by  a  digni- 
tary of  a  chapter  in  that  county,  that  "  the  western  bre- 
"  thren  had  approached  the  east  in  search  of  light*  previ- 
"  ously  to  the  outrage, — that  Morgan  would  be  conveyed 
"  to  Canada,  and  thence  across  the  Atlantic, — and  that  him- 
"  self  and  family  would  be  amply  provided  for." 

No  further  evidence  exists,  of  which  I  am  aware,  going 
to  establish  the  fact,  or  to  countenance  the  belief,  that,  pre- 
viously to  the  abduction,  there  was  any  general  knowledge 
or  privity  of  the  contemplated  outrage,  on  the  part  of  lodges, 
chapters,  or  encampments,  eastward  of  the  county  of  Onta- 
rio. Would  that  no  higher  impeachment  could  be  brought 
against  lodges,  and  chapters,  and  grand  lodges,  and  grand 
chapters,  for  their  conduct  in  this  matter,  after  the  conspi- 
rators had  matured  and  consummated  their  wicked  pur- 
porses.  But  facts  of  an  opposite  character  rise  up  in  fear- 
ful array  to  the  contrary.  To  particularize  the  transac- 
tions to  which  I  now  refer,  in  proof  of  this  assertion,  would 
be  only  to  repeat  a  variety  of  details  to  which  I  have  al- 
ready had  the  honor  to  direct  your  attention  in  the  progress 
of  these  investigations.  Still,  a  brief  recapitulation  seems 
to  be  indispensable  to  the  summing  up  of  the  case.  I  do 
not  wish  to  be  understood,  in  what  I  am  now  going  to  say, 
as  inculpating,  or  intending  to  inculpate,  the  great  body  of 
the  lodges  and  chapters  of  this  state,  directly,  as  accessa- 
ries to  the  abduction  after  the  fact.  But  I  do  say,  that  while 
great  numbers  of  Masons  individually,  and  some  chapters 
collectively,  have  laid  themselves  open  to  grievous  censure 
in  this  respect,  the  characters  of  all  the  lodges  and  chap- 

+  Masonic  language,  now,  I  believe,  well  understood. 


LETTER  XLVIII.  555 

ters  of  the  state  have  been  compromised  by  the  grand  bo- 
dies in  which  all  are  supposed  to  be  represented.     In  the 
month  of  February,  1827,  five  months  after  the  perpetration 
of  the  crime,  the  Grand  Chapter  rejected  a  proposition  of- 
fering a  rew^ard  of  1000  dollars,  for  the  discovery  and  ap- 
prehension of  the  authors  of  it :  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  appropriated  the  like  sum  of  1000  dollars,  under  the 
pretext  of  unspecified  charity,  but  in  fact  to  be  used  for  the 
aid,  comfort,  and  assistance  of  the  criminals.     In  the  month 
of  March,  of  the  same  year,  Howard,  one  of  the  murderers,by 
his  own  confession,  was  cherished  by  certain  of  the  Masons 
in  this  city  :  he  was  kept  in  concealment  from  the  officers 
of  justice :  funds  were  raised  for  him  :  and  he  was  finally 
smuggled  across  Long  Island,  and  put  on  board  of  one  of 
the  foreign  packets,  oft'  Gravesend  or  Coney  Island.     In  the 
month  of  June,  of  the  same  year,  the  sum  of  100  dollars  was 
voted  from  the  funds  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  to  Eli  Bruce ; 
and  the  additional  sum  for  which  he  had  applied,  was  raised 
for  him  by  the  brethren  out  of  the  lodge.  In  the  autumn  of  the 
same  year,  the  sum  of  100  dollars  was  appropriated  from 
the  funds  of  Jerusalem  Chapter  of  this  city,  for  the  benefit 
of  "  the  western  sufferers,"  as  the  conspirators  were  called.* 
Money  for  the  same  object,  was  raised  by  one  of  the  en- 
campments in  this  city ;  but  to  what  amount,  I  have  not 
been  informed.      I  have  likewise  abundant  reason  to  be- 
lieve, that  other  lodges  and  chapters  of  this  city,  contribut- 
ed to  the  same  object ; — and  the  sum  of  500  dollars  was 
subsequently  applied  to  the  same  benevolent  purposes,  by 
the  Grand  Lodge.     These  facts  are  known:  most  of  them 
have  already  been  proclaimed,  as  it  were  upon  the  house- 
tops :  and  how  many  additional  appropriations  of  the  same 
description,  were  made  by  other  masonic  bodies,  at  other 

*  The  amount  appropriated  by  this  chapter  at  the  time  in  question,  has 
been  stated  at  500  dollars,  by  Mr.  J.  F.  Hanks,  who  first  published  the  fact; 
but  I  have  been  positively  assured  by  a  gentleman  who  was  then  a  high  of- 
ficer of  that  chapter,  that  the  appropriation  was  no  more  than  100  dollars. 


556  LETTER  XLVIII. 

times  and  places,  for  the  same  object,  remains  yet  among 
the  undiscovered  secrets  of  the  order.  But  granting  tliat 
all  the  misdeeds  of  this  description  have  been  enumerated, 
— that  not  a  single  dollar  more  was  appropriated  by  either 
lodge  or  chapter,  or  individual  Mason,  for  the  purpose  of 
retaining  counsel  for  the  accused ;  of  supporting  the  con- 
victs in  prison;  of  aiding  in  the  escape  of  some ;  of  pay- 
ing the  expenses  of  others  ;  and  of  assisting  in  the  spiriting 
away  of  witnesses, — is  the  catalogue  not  enough  ?  Is  fur- 
ther evidence  necessary  to  convince  a  virtuous  community, 
that  the  institution  ought  to  be  abolished?  Do  those  Ma- 
sons, who  yet  adhere  to  the  institution,  but  who,  neverthe- 
less, would  shrink  from  the  commission  of  the  most'  venial 
crime, — who  would  "  feel  a  stain  like  a  wound," — and  who 
have  been  kept  in  ignorance  of  these  astounding  facts,  re- 
quire more  light  to  enable  them  to  perceive  that  the  insti- 
tution is  no  longer  entitled  to  the  countenance  or  support 
of  good  men  and  just  ? 

It  has  been  said,  however,  in  extenuation  of  most  of  these 
appropriations  of  money  by  the  lodges  and  chapters,  that, 
when  they  wxre  made,  those  who  voted  for  them,  did  jso  un- 
der a  belief  that  great  oppression  was  experienced  by  the 
accused  at  the  w^est, — that,  in  fact,  (when  the  appropria- 
tions were  made,)  it  was  not  believed  that  any  very  consid- 
erable crime  had  been  committed ; — and,  in  short,  it  has 
been  maintained,  that  those  voting  the  money,  honestly  be- 
lieved the  accused,  to  whom  it  was  going,  to  be  innocent 
and  persecuted  men.  Such,  I  am  ^villing  to  admit,  to  a 
certain  extent,  was  the  fact ; — suc^h,  I  have  the  best  reason 
for  believing,  was,  in  a  very  limited  degree,  the  true  state  of 
the  case.  But  in  all  instances^  the  master-spirits  knew  well 
enough  the  true  state  of  the  case ;  and,  both  in  the  Grand 
Lodge  and  Grand  Chapter,  at  the  times  of  making  the  ap- 
propriations, numbers  of  the  conspirators  were  themselves 
present, — wearing  the  lamb-skin  emblems  of  innocence,  and 


LETTER  XLVTir.  557 

taking  part  in  the   proceedings  !      Making,   however,  all 
possible  allowance  for  the  erroneous  views  under  which  the 
plea  I  am  now  considering  supposes  them  to  have  act- 
ed ; — making,  also,  an  additional  allowance  for  the  sympa- 
thies that  had   been  awakened  in  behalf  of  their  western 
brethren,  and  for  the  indignation  that  had  been  kindled  by 
what  was  justly  deemed  an   undistinguishing,  intolerant, 
and  indefensible  proscription  of  the  whole  masonic  body,  for 
the  offences  of  a  part, — it  yet  falls  immeasurably  short  of  a 
justification  for  the  helping  away  of  Howard,  and  the  ad- 
vancing of  money  to  enable  Burrage  Smith  to  fly  to  New- 
Orleans,  and  Howard  to  England.    Nor  can  even  this  excuse 
avail   to  any  extent,  for  more  than  a  very  short  period. 
Grant,  if  you  please, — which  by  the  way   could  not  have 
been  the  fact, — but  grant,  for  the  sake  of  the  argument,  that 
a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Grand  Lodge  and  Grand 
Chapter,  at  the  time  of  making  those  appropriations,  did 
suppose  the   accused  were  innocent,  they  must  have  soon 
been  undeceived.     Upon  what  principle,  then,  are  we  to 
account  for  their  subsequent  conduct  ?     Trials  of  the  con- 
spirators were  occurring  every  few  months,  and  volumes  of 
appalling  testimony  were  following  each  other,  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, placing  the  innocence  of  the  accused,  and  of  numer- 
ous unknown  accomplices,  entirely  out  of  the  question, — hut 
710  example  was  made  of  any  of  these.     In  the  earlier  part  of 
the  excitement,  several  members  of  the  order  w^ere  tried 
for  the  conspiracy,  and  convicted  by  their  own  confessions, 
— hut  none  of  these,  even  to  this  day,  have   been  expel- 
led from  cither  lodge  or  chapter.     Several  more  have  been 
convicted,  after  warmly  contested  trials,  who,  with  the 
former,  have  served  out  their  respective  terms  of  imprison- 
ment,— hut  none  of  these  have  been  expelled.      Witnesses 
have   stood  mute,  braving  the  authority  of  the  civil  law, 
even  in  the  presence  of  the  highest  of  our  criminal  tribu- 
nals,— hut  none  of  these  have  been  expelled.     Other  witness- 


558  LETTER  XLViri. 

es  have  refused  to  testify,  expressly  upon  the  ground  that  in 
doing  so,  they  must  criminate  themselves, — neither  have  these 
been  expelled.  Witnesses  have  testified  falsely,  as  their 
subsequent  examinations  have  fully  proved, — neither  have 
these  been  expelled.  It  has  been  proved  in  court,  over  and 
over  again,  that  the  measures  for  the  abduction  of  Morgan, 
were  concerted  in  the  lodges  and  chapters  of  the  west, — 
hut  the  warrants  frr  such  lodges  and  chapters  have  never 
been  recalled.  Indeed,  there  has  never  yet  been  utter- 
ed, FROM  the  walls  OF  EITHER  LODGE  OR  CHAPTER,  FROM 
THE  HIGHEST  TO  THE  LOWEST,  AN  EXPRESSION  OF  REAL  CEN- 
SURE, OR  OF  HONEST  INDIGNATION,  AGAINST  ANY  INDIVIDUAL, 
HOWEVER  CLEARLY  IT  MAY  HAVE  BEEN  KNOWN  THAT  HE  WAS 
ENGAGED  IN  DEPRIVING  A  FREE  CITIZEN  OF  HIS  LIBERTY,  AND 
PUTTING    HIM  TO  DEATH  IN   COLD  BLOOD  ! 

There  is,  however,  one  word  to  be  said,  before  I  close 
the  present  letter,  in  mitigation  of  the  offences  of  those  who 
were  first  engaged  in  depriving  Morgan  of  his  liberty. 
There  is  no  reason  whatever  for  believing  that  his  murder 
was  contemplated  when  he  was  first  arrested,  or  by  any  of 
those  engaged  in  transferring  him  from  the  jail  in  Canandai- 
gua,  to  Niagara.  I  have  already  said,  that  the  carrying  of 
Morgan  to  Canandaigua,  was  not  connected  with  the  origin- 
al plan.  That  movement  was  projected  and  executed  by 
Cheseboro,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  disgracing  him  by  the 
imputation  of  petit  larceny.  When  acquitted  upon  that 
charge,  feeling  that  it  would  not  answer  to  allow  Morgan 
to  return  to  his  labors  with  the  ability  to  excite  the  public 
sympathy  by  the  tale  of  his  wrongs,  Cheseboro  procured  his 
imprisonment  on  the  civil  process,  merely  to  give  time  for 
ihem  to  mature  some  new  scheme  to  suppress  the  proposed 
disclosure  of  the  momentous  secrets  of  Masonry.  The  ar- 
rangements for  his  transportation  to  Canada,  were  hastily 
made,  although  it  had  been  so  long  determined  that  some- 
thing should  be  done  to  suppress  the  book  ;  and  the  murder 


LETTER  XLIX.  559 

of  the  man  was  rather  the  result  of  the  imperfection  of  those 
arrangements,  than  of  previous  design.  In  this  belief  I  am 
strengthened  by  the  opinions  of  all  the  gentlemen,  as  I  be- 
lieve, who  have  acted  as  special  counsel  in  the  prosecutions, 
and  also  of  Mr.  Whiting,  their  able  and  constant  auxiUary. 
Those  who  took  him  to  the  fort,  calculated  on  nothing  more 
than  his  temporary  confinement,  until  he  could  be  sent  away 
into  Canada,  or  to  sea,  via  Quebec.  But  when  the  Cana- 
dians utterly  refused  to  receive  him,  and  the  conspirators 
found  him  thrown  back  upon  their  hands,  they  were  unex- 
pectedly embarrassed.  They  had  violated  the  law  ; — they 
feared  to  set  their  prisoner  at  large,  to  blazon  the  outrage 
they  had  thus  far  committed  ; — they  could  not  advance,  and 
dared  not  recede.  In  this  posture  of  affairs,  they  sent  back 
an  express  to  Rochester,  for  advice.  One  of  the  conspira- 
tors in  that  place  proceeded  instantly  to  the  frontier,  and 
in  an  evil  hour,  excited  by  passion, — pushed  on  by  fear, — 
and  laboring  under  a  strong  delusion, — they  were  led  to  shed 
the  blood  of  their  victim.  That  blood  yet  cries  from  the 
ground  for  vengeance  ! 

I  am,  sir,  with  respect,  &c. 


LETTER    XLIX. 

New- York,  April  2,  1832. 
Sir, 

It  is  a  subject  of  no  ordinary  satisfaction  to  me,  and 
will  doubtless  afford  still  greater  relief  to  yourself,  to  find 
that  these  somewhat  desultory  communications  have  at  length 
been  brought  to  a  point  at  which  it  can  be  said,  in  the  words 
of  the  wise  preacfier  of  old,  "  let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of 
"  the  whole  matter."  At  the  close  of  the  rapid  survey  of 
speculative  Freemasonry  with  which  the  preceding  essays 


560  LETTER  XLIX. 

were  commenced,  a  variety  of  reasons  were  oHered,  why, 
in  my  humble  opinion,  the  institution  ought  to  be  totally 
abandoned,  on  its  own  merits,  independently  of  any  charges 
of  malconduct  that  might,  have  been  preferred  against  it. 
The  more  I  have  reflected  upon  this  matter,  the  more  strong- 
ly have  I  become  persuaded,  that  the  reasons  there  set  forth 
are  sound  and  just.  Every  hour  of  thought  that  I  have 
been  enabled  to  devote  to  this  subject,  has  but  rendered  the 
conviction  stronger,  that  Masonry  is  wholly  inconsistent 
with  sound  reason,  and  with  the  state  of  society  at  the  pre- 
sent day.  Let  it  be  granted,  if  its  votaries  please,  that  its 
objects  were  originally  laudable  and  humane,  and  arc  so 
still,  in  the  estimation  of  the  better  portion,  and  even  of  the 
great  majority  of  its  members  ;  yet,  I  would  ask,  why  fortify 
the  performance  of  duties  so  eminently  incumbent  upon  us  all 
as  men  and  christians,  by  oaths  and  penalties,  which,  howe- 
ver explained,  must  yet  always  sound  barbarous  and  shock- 
ing when  repeated.  The  duties  of  the  Gospel  are  not  im- 
posed by  any  such  sanctions ;  and  I  do  believe  this  feature 
of  the  society  infinitely  behind  the  age  in  which  we  live, 
even  if  it  be  not  more  barbarous  than  would  ever  have  been 
openly  tolerated  in  any  age  or  community.  But,  throwing 
these  considerations  entirely  aside,  I  am  constrained  to  say, 
that,  in  full  view  of  the  facts  which  have  been  disclosed  in 
the  preceding  irregular  narrative,  the  institution  of  Fi'ce- 
masonry  ought  to  be  entirely  abolished  for  its  demerits, — 
and  that  for  the  following  reasons  : — 

I.  On  account  of  its  laws  and  its  obligations.  Liberal 
minded  and  good  men  seldom  do  wrong,  whether  they  are 
Masons  or  not.  Masons  of  this  character  look  to  the  spirit 
of  the  obligations,  and  practice  the  virtues  inculcated  by  its 
lessons  and  its  emblems.  But  we  have  seen  in  the  course 
of  these  disclosures,  that  a  great  number  of  Masons, — ■ 
perhaps  a  majority  of  the  adhering  members, — not  only 
believe  the  obligations  to  be  binding,  but  are  even  ready 


LETTER    XLIX.  561 

to  act  upon  them  to  the  letten  They  think  every  thing 
about  it  means  what  it  says  ;  and  have  shown  that  they  are 
ready  to  act  accordingly. 

II.  Many  of  its  members  believe  the  institution  to  be  of 
divine  origin.  They  make  it  a  substitute  for  religion :  they 
have  been  so  taught,  and  are  honest  in  the  opinion :  and 
when  the  case  occurs,  they  act  upon  this  belief.  Such  men, 
though  not  by  its  spirit,  are  yet  justified  by  the  letter  of  the 
laws.  The  institution  therefore  leads  to  fatal  error,  in  re- 
gard to  matters  of  infinite  moment  to  the  immortal  interests 
of  man. 

III.  The  garments  of  Masonry  are  stained  with  blood. 
An  American  citizen  has  been  sacrificed  upon  its  altar,  for 
no  breach  of  the  civil  laws  of  the  land,  but  only  for  the  vio- 
lationof  his  masonic  obligations.  What  has  once  happen- 
ed, may  happen  again :  and  the  only  safe  and  secure  disposi- 
tion of  the  subject  is  to  abandon  it,  and  blot  it  out  for- 
ever. 

IV.  The  power  of  Masonry  has  proved  too  strong  for 
the  arm  of  the  civil  law.  The  cry  which  earth  sends  up  to 
heaven,  when  her  bosom  is  stained  with  the  blood  of  a  mur- 
dered son,  seldom  fails  to  ensure  just  retribution  from  the 
hands  of  her  children  :  but  in  this  instance  it  has  fail- 
ed. "  Although," — says  Chancellor  Walworth,  when 
speaking  upon  this  subject — "  it  is  the  duty  of  Masons,  as 
"  well  as  of  Christians,  to  throw  the  broad  mantle  of  charity 
"  over  the  imperfections  and  frailties  of  their  brethren,  yet 
*'  neither  should  ever  permit  themselves  to  extend  its  ample 
"  folds  for  the  purpose  of  screening  those  who  have  disgraced 
"  themselves,  and  disturbed  the  peace  of  society  by  their 
"  crimes."  Ought,  then,  an  institution,  which  has  exercised 
such  a  power,  to  exist  in  a  free  country  ? 

V.  The  crime  that  has  been  committed  in  the  name  of 
the  institution,  was  not  perpetrated,  as  it  has  been  contend- 
ed, by  ignorant  fanatics  ;  but  the  conspiracy  embraced  much 

71 


562  LETTER   XLIX. 

of  the  intelligence  and  respectability  of  that  enlightened 
portion  of  the  country,  and  the  murderers  themselves  were 
men  of  no  mean  consideration. 

VI.  The  institution  cannot  vindicate  itself  from  the  stig- 
ma of  this  outrage.  On  the  contrary,  by  the  course  they 
have  taken  since  it  was  perpetrated,  both  the  Grand  Lodge 
and  Grand  Chapter,  have  in  fact  assumed  the  responsibili- 
ty of  the  transaction.  For  aught  that  those  governing  bo- 
dies have  done,  the  convicts  in  that  outrage,  are  as  good 
Masons — standing  recti  in  curia — as  any  of  us.  Ought 
men  of  principle  and  virtue  to  sustain  such  an  institution, 
or  remain  connected  with  it  ? 

VII.  The  conduct  of  Masons  on  the  trials  at  the  west, 
is  a  sufficient  cause  for  the  abandonment.  "  Grand  Jurors 
"  were  false  to  their  oaths,  to  truly  present.  Witnesses 
"  upon  trial  were  false  to  their  oaths,  to  truly  testify.  Petit 
"  Jurors  were  false  to  their  oaths,  to  truly  try.  Witnesses 
"  in  some  instances  spurned  the  authority  of  the  court,  and 
"  refused  to  testify,  and  in  other  instances  even  to  be  sworn. 
"  Sheriffs  corruptly  returned  partial  grand  jurors." 

VIII.  The  constructions  that  have  been  put  upon  the  ob- 
ligations, by  Masons  under  oath,  in ,  courts  of  justice,  have 
disqualified  them  from  being  impartial  jurors,  in  cases  where 
a  brother  Mason  is  a  party.  Decisions  to  this  effect  have 
been  made  in  our  own  courts,  of  various  grades,  and  in  the 
courts  of  other  states,  where  the  question  has  been  raised, 
and  such  is  undoubtedly  the  law  of  thq  land.  The  taking  of  the 
obligations,  as  those  to  whom  I  refer  have  construed  them, 
is  very  justly  a  cause  of  exclusion  from  a  jury  in  such  cases. 
And  is  it  either  wise  or  proper,  to  adhere  to,  and  preserve, 
an  institution  which  operates  such  a  disfranchisement  ? 

IX.  The  public  sentiment  is  against  the  continuance  of 
the  institution.  Although  I  am  not  a  believer  in  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  maxim  "  vox  popidi  vox  Del"  yet  it  is  no  mark 
of  wisdom  obstinately  to  persist  in  opposition  to  the  declar- 


LETTER  XLIX.  563 

ed  sentiments  of  the  people,  of  all  classes,  and  of  all  politi- 
cal parties.  The  institution  has  lost  all  of  veneration  that 
it  ever  possessed  in  the  public  mind;  and  now  that  the 
grand  arcana  of  the  lodge  room  have  been  fully  disclosed 
to  the  rude  gaze  of  the  public,  who  among  the  order  would 
desire  ever  again  to  march  forth  in  public  with  their  robes, 
and  their  lamb-skins,  and  their  working  tools,  to  encounter 
the  broad  grins  of  the  populace  ? 

X.  Masons  of  pure  hearts  and  sound  principles,  owe  the 
relinquishment  of  the  order  to  those  of  their  fellow  citizens 
who  have  stood  by  them, — refusing  to  denounce  the  whole 
body  as  fanatics  and  bigots,  ready  to  commit  crimes,  if  they 
have  not  already  done  it,  for  the  sake  of  Masonry, — during 
the  bitter  warfare  of  the  Anti-masons.  There  are  many 
such,  having  no  connexion  with  Masonry,  but  who,  in  re- 
fusing to  confound  the  innocent  with  the  guilty,  have  incur- 
red all  the  odium  that  has  been  heaped  upon  the  Masons 
themselves.  As  no  possible  good  can  evermore  come  of 
the  order,  its  members  owe  it  to  this  portion  of  the  public 
to  abandon  it. 

XL  The  institution  is  on  the  wane  ;  in  most  places  it  is 
dead ;  and  its  torpid  body  can  never  be  reanimated.  As 
well  might  they  think  of  establishing  Mahometanism  in  this 
enlightened  land,  as  to  cherish  the  idea  of  re-establishing 
Freemasonry.  There  is  no  use  in  contending,  at  this  late 
hour,  that  the  principles  on  which  it  was  built,  are  moral, 
benevolent  and  virtuous ; — public  opinion  is  against  it,— and 
it  is  the  height  of  folly  to  court  disfranchisement  and  pro- 
scription, when  no  possible  benefit  can  arise  from  the  sac- 
rifice. 

XIL  If  there  are  any  who  would  still  regard  as  a 
sacrifice  the  abandonment  of  the  order,  I  reply,  that  even 
if  it  be  a  sacrifice,  it  is  necessary  for  the  public  good.  It 
is  only  by  the  relinquishment  of  the  institution,  that  peace 
and  social  order  can  be  restored  in  the  regions  of  the  Anti- 


564  LETTER    XLIX. 

masonic  excitement,  and  the  public  feeling  brought  again 
to  healthy  action.  Adhering  to  Masonry  from  mere  obsti- 
nacy against  its  opposite,  will  only  keep  alive,  and  spread 
wider,  the  rancour  and  heart-burning  existing  over  a  large 
space  of  our  country. 

XII.  We  owe  the  relinquishment  of  the  order  to  the  feel- 
ings of  the  religious  community.  However  much  we  may 
deprecate  the  course  that  has  been  adopted  upon  this  sub- 
ject by  most  of  the  religious  sects  which  are  happily  so  nu- 
merous in  our  country,  yet  we  cannot  doubt  the  purity  of 
their  motives,  and  the  sincerity  of  their  opposition.  They 
know  that  a  foul  murder  has  been  committed  by  a  band  of 
Masons,  in  the  name  of  the  order.  They  have  watch- 
ed the  progress  of  the  trials,  and  marked  the  con- 
duct of  the  accused,  as  well  as  of  many  others  whose  la- 
bors were  directed — not  in  aid  of  the  laws — but  to  shield 
their  friends  from  justice.  Members  of  the  order  know,  that 
but  a  comparatively  small  number,  were  engaged  in  the 
wicked  transaction.  But  from  the  mysterious  connexion 
by  which  all  the  fraternity,  individually  and  collectively, 
have  been  supposed  to  be  bound  together,  those  who  are  not 
members,  know  not  how  to  discriminate,  or  where  to  draw 
the  line  of  distinction.  Hence  the  greater  number  arc  suf- 
fering for  the  delinquency  of  the  less.  Ought  not  respect, 
therefore,  to  be  paid  to  the  feelings, — call  them  the  preju- 
dices, if  you  please, — of  nearly  the  whole  religious  public 
in  the  United  States,  by  which  means  alone,  the  harmony 
of  the  christian  church,  as  well  as  of  the  political  world, 
can  be  restored. 

These  are  conclusions  to  which  I  have  arrived,  after 
much  reflection,  and  a  long  and  laborious  investigation  of 
the  whole  matter;  and  I  might  add  to  the  catalogue  of  rea- 
sons, which,  in  my  poor  judgment,  ought  to  induce  a  vol- 
untary, simultaneous,  and  universal  abandonment  of  specu- 
lative Freemasonry  in  the  United  States.     I  am  well  aware 


LETTER    XLIX.  565 

that  many  of  my  masonic  brethren,  will  not  at  first  coin- 
cide with  me  in  these  opinions.     Such  have  not  always 
been  my  own  views,  as  the  public  well  know.     But  I  have 
formed  these   opinions  from   facts  of  a  startling   nature, 
as   all    who   have    done   me  the   honor  to  accompany  me 
through  these  pages  will  have  seen.     1  have  likewise  wit- 
nessed how  others  have  been  affected  by  the  influence  of 
this  institution;  and  I  have  often  been  astonished  to  per- 
ceive with  what  tenacity  men  of  pure  lives,  and  good  con- 
sciences, cling  to  it.     The  minds  of  many  excellent  men 
seem  actually  crazed  upon  this  subject.     The  whole  con- 
sistency of  their  lives  is  reversed  when  you  come  upop 
the  subject  of  Freemasonry.     They  appear  to  believe  in  it 
as  a  matter  of  religion  and  faith,  and  whoever  questions  its 
purity,  and  its  excellence,  is  heretical,     But  I  hope  a  more 
liberal    feenng   is    now    beginning   to   prevail,    and  that 
even  many  thousands  who  have  hitherto  refused  to  listen 
to  the  voice  of  reason  upon  the  subject,  will  now  at  least  be 
persuaded  to  take  it  up  calmly,  and  reflect  upon  it.     "  I  am 
"  satisfied,"  says  Chancellor  Walworth  in  a  letter  now  be- 
fore me,  from  which  I  have  already  quoted  a  few  lines 
above,  "  that  the  evils  of  keeping  up  the  institution  hereaf- 
"  ter,  win  more  than  counterbalance  any  good,  which  in 
"  this  country  i^an  possibly  be  effected  by  it.      And  this 
"has   determined  me,  for  the   purpose    of  quieting    the 
"  alarms  of  the  community,  and  preserving  the  peace  of 
"  neighborhoods,   as  well   as  to  prevent  divisions  in  the 
"  church  of  our  Divine  Master,  to  recommend  that  Ma- 
"sons   should  submit   to  the  reasonable  demands   of  the 
"  public,  to  cease  their  meetings,  and  that  the  lodges  sur- 
"  render  up  their  charters."     Yet   Chancellor  Walworth 
is  a  Mason,  and  strongly  opposed  to  political  Anti-ma- 
sonry.    Such,  however,  are  his  honest  opinions,  and  such 
are  the  opinions  of  a  vast  majority  of  the  most  virtu- 
ous, most  intelligent,  and  most  distinguished  men  of  our 


566  LETTER   XLIX. 

countiy,  without  regard  to  sect,  or  profession,  or  party.  I 
need  not  add,  that  such  are  my  own  opinions — as  honestly 
entertained,  as  they  have  been  frankly  and  fearlessly  ex- 
pressed. 

I  have  the  honor,  sir,  to  remain,  &c. 


APPENDIX 


'     5' 

(A.) 

[  1 1  was  the  author's  intention  to  have  inserted  in  this  place  the  seven  obligationsj  as  contain* 
ed  in  Bernard  ;  but  this  work  has  been  necessarily  extended  so  much  further  than  was  origi- 
nally contemplated,  thathe  must  confine  himself  to  the  obligations  of  the  third  and  seventh  de- 
grees, those  beingtlie  most  essential,  and  indeed  embracing  all  that  is  important  of  the  others.] 
OBLIGATION  OF  A  MASTER  MASON. 

'  I,  A.  B.,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  in  presence  of  Almighty  God,  and  this  Wor- 
shipful  Lodge  of  Master  Masons,  erected  to  God,  and  dedicated  to  the  holy  order  of  St.  John, 
do  hsreby  and  hereon,  most  solemnly  and  sincerely  promise  and  swear,  m  addition  to  my 
former  obligations,  that  1  will  not  give  the  degree  of  a  Master  Mason  to  any  one  of  an  infe- 
rior degree,  nor  to  any  other  being  in  the  known  world,  except  it  be  to  a  true  and  lawful  bro- 
ther, or  brethren.  Master  Mason,  or  within  the  body  of  a  just  and  lawfully  constituted  lodge 
of  such;  and  not  unto  him,  nor  unto  them,  whom  I  shall  hear  so  to  be,  but  unto  him  and 
them  only  whom  I  shall  find  so  to  be  after  strict  trial  and  due  examination,  or  lawful  infor- 
mation received.  Furthermore,  do  1  promise  and  swear,  ihat  I  will  not  give  the  Master's 
word,  which  I  shall  hereafter  receive,  neither  in  the  lodge,  nor  out  of  it,  except  it  be  on  the 
five  points  of  fellowship,  and  then  not  above  my  breath.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and 
swear,  that  I  will  not  give  the  grand  hailing  sign  of  distress,  except  I  am  in  real  distiess,  or 
for  the  benefit  of  the  craft  when  at  work ;  and  should  I  ever  see  that  sign  given,  or  the  word 
accompany mg  it,  and  the  person  who  gave  it  appearing  to  be  in  distress,  I  will  fly  to  his  re- 
lief at  the  risk  of  my  life,  should  there  be  a  greater  probability  of  saving  his  life  than  of 
losing  my  own.  Furthermore  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  1  will  not  wrong  this  lodge,  nor 
a  brother  of  this  degree,  to  the  value  of  one  cent,  knowingly,  myself,  nor  suffer  it  to  be  done 
by  others,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will 
not  be  at  the  initiating,  passing,  and  raising  a  candidate  at  one  communication,  without  a 
regular  dispensation  from  the  Grand  Lodge  tor  the  same.  Furiherinore.  do  I  promise  and 
swear  that  I  will  not  be  at  the  initiating,  passing,  or  raising  a  candidate  in  a  clandestine 
lodge,  I  knowing  it  to  be  such.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  not  be  at 
the  initiating  of  an  old  man  in  dotage,  a  young  man  in  nonage,  an  atheist,  irreligious  liber- 
tine, idiot,  mailman,  hermaphrodite,  nor  woman.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear, 
that  I  will  not  spt^ak  evil  of  a  brother  Master  Mason,  neither  behind  his  back,  nor  before  his 
face,  but  will  appiiz'i  him  of  all  approaching  danger,  if  in  my  power.  Furthermore,  do  I 
promise  and  swear  that  I  will  not  violate  the  chastity  of  a  Master  Mason's  wife,  mother, 
sister,  or  d:uigh«er,  I  knowing  them  to  be  such,  nor  suffer  it  to  be  done  by  others,  if  in  my 
power  to  prevent  it.  Furtherniirn,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  support  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state  of ,  under  which  this  lodge  is  held,  and  conform 

to  all  the  liy-lawsj-rules,  and  regulations  of  this  er  any  other  lodge  of  which  I  may  at  any 
time  hereafter  bechme  a  member.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  obey 
all  regular  signs,  summons,  or  tokens,  given,  handed,  sent,  or  thrown  to  me,  from  the  hand 
of  a  brother  Master  Mason,  or  from  the  body  of  a  just  and  lawfully  constituted  lodge  of 
such,  provided  it  be  within  the  length  of  my  cable  tow.  Furthermore, do  Ipromise  and 
swear,  that  a  Master  J\fason''s  secrets,  given  to  me  in  charge  as  such,  and  I  knowing  them 
to  be  siicli,  shall  remain  us  secure  and  inviolable  in  my  breast  as  in  his  own,  when  commU' 
nicated  to  mc,  murder  and  treason  excepted;  and  they  left  to  my  own  election.  Further- 
more, do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  1  will  go  on  a  Master  Mason's  errand,  whenever  required, 
even  should  I  have  to  go  barefoot,  and  bareheaded,  if  within  the  length  of  my  cable-tow. 
Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  be  aiding  and  assisting  all  poor  indigent 
Master  Masons,  their  wives  anrt  orphans,  wheresoever  dispersed  round  the  globe,  as  far  as 
in  my  power,  without  injuring  myself  or  family  materially.  Furthermore, do  I  promise  and 
swear,  that  if  any  part  of  this  my  solemn  oath  or  obligation  be  omitted  at  this  time,  that  I 
will  hold  myself  amenable  thereto,  whenever  informed.  To  all  which  I  do  most  solemnly 
and  sincerely  promise  and  swear,  with  a  fixed  and  steady  purpose  of  mind  in  me,  to  keep^ 
and  perform  the  .*ame,  binding  myself  under  no  less  penalty  than  to  have  my  body  severed^ 
in  two  in  the  midst,  and  divided  to  the  north  and  south,  my  bowels  burnt  to  ashea  in  tlie 


»  APPENDIX. 

centre,  and  the  aslies  scattered  before  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  tliat  tJiere  might  not  the 
letist  track  or  trace  of  remembrance  remain  amon^  men  or  Masons  of  so  vile  and  perjured  a 
wretch  as  I  should  be,  were  I  ever  to  prove  wilfully  guilty  of  violating  any  part  of  this  my 
solemn  oath  or  obligation  of  a  Master  Mason  So  help  me"  God ,  and  keep  me  steadfast  in  the 
due  performance  of  the  same.' 

OBLIGATION  OF  A  ROYAL  ARCH  M\SON. 
I,  A.  B.,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord,  in  the  presence  of  Airnicshty  God,  and  this  chap- 
ter of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  erfected  to  Go  J,  and  dedicated  to  the  holy  order  of  St.  John,  do 
hereby  and  hereon,  most  solemnly  and  sincerely  promise  and  swear,  in  addition  to  my  for- 
mer obligations,  ihat  I  wiil  not  give  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch  Mason  to  anyone  "of  an 
inferior  degree,  nor  to  any  other  being  in  the  known  world,  except  it  be  to  a  true  and  lawful 
companion  Royal  Arch  Mason,  or  within  the  body  of  a  just  and  legally  constituted  chapter 
of  such,  and  not  unto  him  or  unto  them  whom  I  shall  hear  so  to  be,  but  unto  him  or  them 
only  whom  I  shall  find  so  to  be,  after  strict  trial,  due  examination,  or  legal  information  re- 
ceived. Furthermore,  do  1  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  not  give  the  Grand  Omnific  Royal 
Arch  word,  which  I  shall  hereafter  receive,  neither  in  the  chapter  nor  out  of  it,  except  there 
be  present  two  companions  Royal  Arch  Masons,  who,  with  myself,  make  three,  and  then  by 
three  times  three,  under  a  living  arch,  not  above  my  breath.  Furthermore,  that  I  will  not 
reveal  the  ineffable  characters  belonging  to  this  degree,  or  retain  the  key  to  them  in  my  pos- 
session, but  destroy  it,  whenever  it  comes  to  my  sight.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and 
swear,  that  I  will  not  wrong  this  chapter,  nor  a  companion  of  this  degree,  to  the  vF.lue  of 
any  thing,  knowingly  myself,  or  suffer  it  to  be  done  by  others,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it. 
Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  not  be  at  the  exaltation  of  a  candidate  to, 
this  degree,  at  a  clandestine  chapter,  I  knowing  it  to  be  such.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise 
and  swear,  that  I  will  not  assist  or  be  present  at  the  exaltation  of  a  candidate  to  this  degree 
who  has  not  regularly  received  the  degrees  of  Entered  Apprerjtice,  Fellow  <!raft,  Master 
Mason,  Mark  Master,  Past  Master,  Most  Excellent  Master,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and 
belief.  Furthermore,  that  1  will  not  assist  or  see  more  or  less  than  three  candidates  exalted 
atone  and  the  same  time.  Furthermore,  that  1  will  not  assist  or  be  present  at  the  forming 
or  opening  of  a  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  unless  there  be  present  nine  regular  Royal  Arch  IV.  a- 
sons.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  not  speak  evil  of  a  companion 
Royal  Arch  Mason,  neither  behind  his  back  nor  before  his  face,  but  will  apprize  him  of  ap- 
proaching danger,  if  in  my  power.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  not 
strike  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  anger,  so  as  to  draw  his  blood.  Furthermore,  do 
I  promise  and  swear,  that  1  will  support  the  constitution  of  the  General  Grand  Royal  Arch 
Chapter  of  the  United  States  of  America,  also  the  constitution  of  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter 
of  the  state  under  which  this  chapter  is  held,  and  conform  to  all  the  by-laws,  rules,  and  re- 
gulations of  this,  or  any  other  chapter  of  which  I  may  hereafter  become  a  member.  Fur- 
thermore, do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  obey  all  regular  signs,  summons,  or  tokens 
given,  handed,  sent,  or  thrown  to  me,  from  the  liand  of  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason, 
or  from  the  body  of  a  just  and  lawfully  constituted  chapter  of  such,  provided  it  be  within 
the  length  of  my  cable-tow  Furtliermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  aid  and  assist 
a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason,  when  engaged  in  any  difficulty,  and  espouse  his  cause,  so 
far  as  to  extricate  him  from  the  same,  if  in  my  power,  wliether  he  be  right  or  wrong.  Also, 
that  I  will  promote  a  companion  Royal  Arch  Mason's  political  preferment  in  preference  to 
another  of  equal  qualifications.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  a  companion 
Royal  Arch  Mason's  secrets,  given  me  in  charge  as  such,  and  I  knowing  ihem  to  be  such, 
shall  remain  as  secure  and  inviolable  in  my  breast  as  in  his  own,  murder  and  treason  not 
excepted.  Furthermore,  do  I  promise  and  swear,  that  I  will  be  aiding  and  assisting  all  poor 
and  indigent  Royal  Arch  Ma^sons,  their  widows  and  orphans,  wherever  dispersed  rround 
the  gtoiie,  so  far  as  in  my  power,  without  material  injury  to  myself  or  family.  All  which  I 
most  solemnly  and  sincerely  promise  and  swear,  with  a  firm  and  steadfast  resolution  to  per- 
form the  same,  without  any  equivocation,  mental  reservation,  or  self  evasion  of  mind  in  me 
whatever;  binding  myself  under  no  less  penalty,  than  that  of  having  my  skull  smote  off,  and 
my  brains  expased  to  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun,  should  I  ever  knowingly,  or  willingly, 
violate  or  transgress  any  part  of  this  my  solemn  oath,  or  obligation,  of  a  Royal  Arch  Mason. 
So  help  me  God,  and  keep  me  steadfast  in  the  performance  of  the  same. 


(B.) 
OLD  MS.  copy  OF  ROYAL  ARCH  OBLIGATION. 

[It  was  the  author's  first  intention  to  have  inserted  in  this  place,  all  the  obligations,  as 
contained  in  the  old  MSS  mentioned  in  the  text,  that  the  reader  might  be  the  better  enabled 
to  judge  how  rapidly  these  obligations  have  been  increasing  in  length,  even  within  the  last 
thirty  years.  But  he  is  compelled  to  suppress  them,  for  the  same  reason  mentioned  above, 
viz:  the  already  unforeseen  extent  of  the  work.  It  may,  however,  be  enough  to  lemark, 
thiit  neither  of  the  oblif^ations,  in  the  first  three  degrees,  as  written  out  in  these  manusc  tipt?, 
is  more  than  half  as  long  as  those  disclosed  by  Morgan,  and  in  common  use.  The  obliga- 
tions for  the  remaining  four  degrees  of  ancient  Masonry,  so  called,  are  very  much  shorter.] 

The  Royal  Arch  obligation,  so  long  and  cumbersome,  as  given  above,  is  all  comprised  in 
the  ancient  ritual  before  me,  under  the  four  brief  heads  following:— "  1st.  Forever  to  con- 
ceal the  secrets  of  this  degree ;— 2d.  Not  to  give  the  Royal  Arch  word,  unless  in  the  manner 


APPENDIX.  3 

irt  which  it  is  received  ;— 3d.  Not  to  assist  in  the  exaltation  of  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  unleai 
five  members  are  present,  nor  more  nor  leas  than  three  at  any  one  time  ;— 4th.  To  aid,  sup- 
port, protect,  and  defend  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  even  with  the  sword,  if  necessary."  To 
this  is  added  the  penalty,  as  given  by  Morgan. 

N.  B.  These  MS3.  give  a  more  sensible  and  intelligible,  and  a  less  exceptionable, account 
of  the  seven  degrees  of  Masonry,  than  any  other  work  the  author  has  seen.  While  Morgan 
was  at  Rochester,  these  papers  were  there,  and  already  written  to  his  hands. 


(C.) 

The  following  was  the  only  obligation  for  all  three  of  the  degrees  of  ancient  Masonry,  in 
the  year  1730— only  102  years  ago.    At  that  time  there  were  but  three  degrees  known  :— 

"  I  hereby  solemnly  vow  and  swear,  in  the  presence  of  Almishty  God,  and  this  right 
worshipful  assembly,  that  I  will  hail  and  conceal,  and  never  reveal,  the  secrets  or  secresy  of 
Masons  or  Masonry  that  shall  be  revealed  unto  me,  unless  to  a  true  and  lawful  brother,  after 
an  examination,  or  in  a  just  and  worshipful  lodge  of  brothers  and  fellows  well  met.  2d.  I 
furthermore  promise  and  vow,  that  I  will  not  write  tliem,  print  them,  mark  them, carve  them, 
or  engrave  them,  or  cause  them  to  be  written,  printed,  marked,  carved,  or  engraved  on  wood 
or  stone,  so  as  the  visible  character  or  impression  of  a  letter  may  appear,  whereby  it  may  be 
unlawfully  obtamed.  All  this,  under  no  less  penalty  than  to  have  my  throat  cut,  my  tongue 
taken  from  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  my  heart  plucked  from  under  my  left  breast,  then  to  be 
buried  in  the  sand  of  the  sea,  the  length  of  a  cable-rope  from  shore,  where  the  tide  ebbs  and 
flows  twice  in  twenty-four  hours,  my  body  to  be  burnt  to  ashes,  my  ashes  to  be  scattered  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  resemblance  of  me  among  Masons.  So  help 
me  God." 


(D.) 
First  Proclamation  of  the  Qovernor. 
DE  WITT  CLINTON,  Governor  of  the  State  of  New-York,  to  state  officers  and 
(L.  S.)  ministers  of  justice  in  said  stale,  and  particularly  in  the  county  of  Genesee,  and 
ll»e  neighboring  co\in\.\e,s— Or eeting  -. 
Whereas,  information,  under  oath,  has  been  transmitted  to  me  by  Theodore  F.Talbot, 
Esquire,  and  other  citizens  of  the  county  of  Genesee,  acting  as  a  committee  in  behalf  of  the 
people  of  that  county,  representing  that  divers  outrages  and  oppressions  have  been  commit- 
ted on  the  rights  of  petsons  residing  in  the  village  of  Batavia,  and  that  disturbances  have  en- 
sued, which  are  injurious,  and  may  prove  destructive  to  peace  and  good  order  in  that  quar- 
ter.   Now,  therefore,  I  enjoin  it  upon  you,  and  each  of  you,  to  pursue  all  proper  and  effi- 
cient measures  for  tlie  apprehension  of  the  offenders,  and  the  prevention  of  future  outrages. 
And  I  do  also  request  the  good  citizens  of  this  state,  to  co-operate  with  the  civil  authoritiea 
jn  maintaining  the  ascendency  of  law  and  good  order. 


(E.) 
Second  Proclamation  of  the  Qovernor. 

Whereas,  it  has  been  represented  to  me,  that  William  Morgan,  who  was  unlawfully  con- 
veyed from  thejail  of  the  county  of  Ontario,  sometime  in  the  month  ofSejitember  last,  has 
not  been  found,  and  that  it  might  have  a  benificial  effect  in  restoring  him  to  his  family  and 
in  promoting  the  detection  and  punishment  of  the  perpetrators  of  this  violent  outrage,  if,  in 
addition  to  the  proceeding  heretofore  adopted  by  me,  a  proclamation  was  issued  offering  a 
specific  reward  for  these  purposes:— JVbw,  iAere/ ore,  in  order  that  the  offenders  maybe 
brought  to  condign  punishment  and  the  violated  majesty  of  the  laws  thereby  effectually  vin- 
dicated, I  do  hereby  offer,  in  addition  to  the  assurances  of  compensation  heretofore  given,  a 
reward  of  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  discovery  of  the  offenders  and  a  reward  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars  for  the  discovery  of  any  and  every  one  of  them,  to  be  paid  on  conviction ;  and 
also  a  further  reward  of  two  hundred  dollars  for  authentic  information  of  the  place  where 
the  said  William  Morgan  has  been  conveyed,  and  I  do  enjoin  it  upon  all  sheriffs,  magistrates, 
and  other  officers  and  ministers  of  justice  to  be  vigilant  and  active  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties  on  this  occasion. 

,T     a  ■»  In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  mv  hand,  and  the  privy  seal  at  the  city  of 
^L,.  ».;  j^ib-jny  this  26th  day  of  October,  Anno  Dominil826. 

DE  WITT  CLINTON. 
Third  Proclamation  of  the  Qovernor. 

Whereaa,  the  measures  adopted  for  the  discovery  of  Williatn  Morgan,  afler  his  unlawful 
abduction  from  Canandaigua  in  September  last,  have  not  been  attended  with  success ;  and 
whereas  many  of  the  good  citizens  of  this  state  are  under  an  impression,  from  the  lapse  of 
time  and  other  circumstances,  that  he  has  been  murdered :— Now,  therefore,  to  the  end  that, 
if  living,  he  may  be  rescored  to  his  family,  and,  if  murdered,  that  the  perpetrators  may  be 
brought  to  condign  punishment,  I  have  thought  fit  to  issue  this  proclamation,  promisinga  re- 
ward of  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  discovery  of  the  offender  or  offenders,  to  be  paid  on  con- 

72 


4  APPENDIX. 

viction  and  on  the  certificate  of  the  Attorney  General,  or  officer  prosecuting  on  the  part  of  the 
state,  that  the  person  or  persons  claiming  the  said  last  mentioned  reward, is  or  are  justly  en- 
titled to  the  same  under  this  proclamation.  And  I  further  promise  a  free  pardon,'so  far  as  I  am 
authorised  under  the  constitution  of  this  state,  to  any  accomplice  or  co-operator  who  shall  make 
a  full  discovery  of  the  offender  or  offenders .  And  I  do  enjoin  it  upon  all  officers  and  ministers 
of  justice,  and  all  other  persons,  to  be  vigilant  and  active  in  bringing  to  justice  the  perpetra- 
tors of  a  crime  so  abhorrent  to  humanity  and  so  derogatory  from  the  ascendency  of  law  and 
good  order. 

(L  S  ^  ^"  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  the  privy  seal,  at  the  city  of 
"^    •  "^  -'  Albany,  this  19th  day  of  March,  Anno  Domini  1827. 

DE  WITT  CLINTON. 


(F.) 
From  the  Albany  Masonick  Record,  Feb.  10. 
The  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  state  o  f  New-York  commenced  its  annual  session 
in  this  city  on  Tuesday  last,  and  adjourned  this  day.    t  Upwards  of  one  hundred  and  ten  sub- 
ordinate chapters  were  represented.    Trevious  to  its  adjournment,  the  following  proceedinga 
were  had  :— 

To  the  Most  Excellent  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  State  of  JVew-  York  .— 

The  committee  appointed  by  resolution  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  on  the  affair  of  William 
Morgan,  respectfully  reported  .- 

That  they  have  attended  to  the  duties  assigned  them,  and  that  from  the  highly  agitated 
and  inflamed  state  of  publick  feeling  on  this  subject,  and  from  the  false  and  undeserved  im- 
putations which  have  been  thrown  ui)on  Freemasons,  and  the  masonic  order  generally, 
your  committee  deem  it  proper  thai  this  Grand  Chapter  should  make  a  public  expression  of 
its  sentiments  in  relation  to  the  affair  alluded  to.  Your  committee,  as  expressive  of  their 
views  on  the  subject  embraced  in  this  report,  would  offer  for  the  consideration  of  the  Grand 
Chapter,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions:— 

Wheteas,  the  rtghts  of  personal  liberty  and  security  are  guaranteed  by  the  free  constitu- 
tion, under  which  we,  the  members  of  this  Grand  Chapter,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  our 
fellow  citizens,  have  the  happiness  to  live:  and  whereas,  we  esteem  the  preservation  of 
these  rights  of  vital  importance  to  the  perpetuity  and  full  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  our 
republican  institutions;  and  whereas,  the  community  has  lately  witnessed  a  violation  of  the 
same,  under  the  alleged  pretext  of  the  masonic  name  and  sanction,  (in  the  case  of  William 
Morgan :)  and  whereas,  the  principles  of  our  ancient  and  honorable  frateinity  contain  noth- 
ing which  in  the  slighrest  degreejustify  or  authorise  such  proceedings  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
do  in  all  their  tenets  and  ceremonies,  encourage  and  inculcate  a  just  submission  to  the  laws, 
the  enjoyment  of  equal  rights  by  every  individual,  and  a  high  and  elevated  spirit  of  person- 
al as  well  as  national  independence:— 

There/ore,  Resolved,  By  this  Grand  Chapter,  that  we  its  members,  individually,  and  as 
a  body,  do  disclaim  all  knowledge  or  approbation  of  the  said  proceedings,  in  relation  to  the 
abduction  of  the  said  William  Morgan  ;  and  that  we  disapprove  of  the  same,  as  a  violation 
of  the  majesty  ol  the  laws,  and  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of  personal  liberty,  secured  to 
every  citizen  of  our  free  and  happy  republic. 

Resolved,  That  the  foregoing  report,  preamble  and  resolution  be  published. 

A  true  extjact  from  the  minutes  of  the  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  state  of  New- 
York. 

JCHN  O.  COLE,  G.  Secretary. 


(G.) 

"  Le  Roy,  JVou.  13th,  1827. 
"  Governor  CliBton, 

"  I  have  seen  a  letter  from  you  to  Mr.  Le  Roy,  requesting  him  to  demand  of  the  ed- 
itors of  the  Gazette  the  author  of  a  communication  addressed  to  you  in  that  paper.  I  am 
the  author.  In  your  letter  to  Mr.  Le  Roy,  you  say  you  had  no  knowledge  of  the  outrages, 
and  have  never  given  any  advice  on  that  subject.  If  such  are  the  facts,  which  I  have  no 
reason  to  doubt,  your  name  has  been  used  for  the  basest  of  motives.  And  who  have  thus 
used  it  i*  The  Masons.  And  why  have  they  used  it. -"  For  the  express  purpose  of  thiowing 
their  own  crimes  upon  your  head.  Your  name  has  been  used  more  or  less  by  Masons  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  ever  since  theoutrages;  and  at  this  time  a  majority  of  Uie  people 
are  so  firmly  in  the  belief  that  you  weie  consulted  on  that  subject,  that  it  is  entirely  useless 
to  urge  any  arguments  upon  that  point  in  your  favor.  At  the  commencement  of  the  outra- 
ges I  did  not  believe  any  assertions  made  by  Masons  respecting  your  knowledge  on  that  sub- 
ject. Neither  did  1  suppose  that  they  would  go  so  far  as  to  take  life,  in  violation  of  all  law. 
But  since  I  have  been  convinced,  in  my  own  mind,  of  the  fate  of  the  unfortunate  man,  I 
have  thought  that  the  leaders  of  the  outrages  had  authority  from  some  souice  or  other,  and 
what  source  I  do  not  know.  From  assertions  made  by  Masons,  (respecting  you,)  that  were 
engaged  in  the  disgraceful  afiair,  my  faith  in  your  lepublican  principles  was  considerably 
ehnken.  I  am  a  Mason,  and  1  have  ever  condemned  the  outrages.  The  morning  that  the 
Masons  went  from  thi.s  place  to  Batavia,  to  arrest  Pol.  Miller,  1  and  two  or  three  others  rais- 


APPENBIX.  5 

ed  our  then  feeble  voices  against  the  proceedings.  We  told  them  that  the  only  way  was  to 
hold  perfectly  still,  that  if  they  proceeded,  they  would  give  a  credit  to  iho  work  that  it  other- 
wise could  never  have.  I  was  then  told  by  their  leader,  that  older  peisons  had  been  consult- 
ed 5  and  another  one  said  that  you  had  been  written  to,  and  that  he  had  sworn  not  to  permit 
it— [permit  the  book  to  be  printed]— or  sulfer  it  to  be  done,  if  within  his  power  to  prevent  it, 
and  go  he  would. 

"  There  is  one  thing  that  I  regret,  and  that  is  this,  that  I  had  not  forwarded  that  commu- 
nication to  you,  instead  of  the  Gazette.  But  I  had  rather  it  would  be  as  it  is,  than  not  have 
been  at  all,  for  I  have  affidavits  from  Masons  that  were  engaged  in  the  outrages,  which  will 
substantiate  my  assertions,  and  put  the  matter  in  a  train  that  justice  to  yourself  requires. 
Mr.  Le  Roy  will  forward  you  copies  of  four  affidavits,  three  from  Masons  who  went  to  Bata- 
via  on  the  12th  of  September,  1826,  and  one  from  Mr.  Griffin,  who  is  not  a  Mason.  I  pre- 
sume your  only  object  is  to  trace  to  its  source,  [and  ascertain]  the  author  of  those  slanderous 
reports.    After  perusing  those  affidavits,  you  will  be  your  own  judge  what  course  to  pursue. 

"  Yours,  respectfully, 

"JAMES  BALLARD." 


[H.] 
State  of  J\reW'York,  )     Franklin  Marsh  being  duly  sworn  deposes  and  says,  that  on  the 
Oenesee  County, ss.    )  twelfth  day  of  September,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-six,  this 
deponent  was  in  company  with  James  Ganson,  and  one  other  person  not  now  recollected 
by  this  deponent ;  that  the  said  James  Ganson  was  asked  if  he  had  authority  from  the 
Governor  to  suppress  or  prevent  the  printing  of  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  then  about  to  be 
printed  at  Batavia  ;  that  the  said  James  Ganson  replied  to  said  question — "  We  have  a  let- 
ter," at  the  same  time  placing  his  hand  against  his  coat  pocket,  and  that  this  deponent 
concluded  from  the  manner,  that  the  said  James  Ganson  replied  to  said  qtiestion,  that  he 
then  had  a  written  communication  from  the  Governor  of  the  state  of  New-York,  authoris- 
ing the  suppression  of  the  publication  of  the  said  secrets  of  Masonry,  and  this  deponent  then 
believed  that  the  said  James  Ganson  had  a  letter  from  the  Governor  on  the  subject  of  pre- 
venting the  said  publication.  FRANKLIN  MARSH, 
Taken  and  subscribed  this  12th  day  of  November,  1827,  before  me, 

S.  SKINNER,  J.  P. 

State  of  J^ew-  York,  ?  Hiram  GritRn,  of  the  town  of  Le  Roy,  in  said  county,  being  duly 
Oenesee  County, ss,  S  sworn  according  to  law  doth  depose  and  say,  that  in  the  month  of 
August  or  September  last,  in  a  conversation  which  this  deponent  had  at  that  time  with 
Franklin  Marsh,  of  Le  Roy,  aforesaid,  in  relation  to  the  outrages  and  attacks  made  upon 
the  person  and  property  of  David  C.  Miller,  of  Batavia,  in  said  county,  in  September  eighteen 
hundred  and  twenty-six,  the  said  Marsh  then  declared  in  the  presence  of  this  deponent,  and 
in  the  said  conversation,  that  he,  the  said  Marsh,  should  not  have  gone  to  Batavia,  if  he 
had  not  seen  a  letter  from  De  Witt  Clinton,  or  the  Governor,  which  letter  authorised  him 
and  others  to  take  the  course  in  relation  to  said  Miller  and  his  property  which  they  did 
take  j  snd  that  he,  the  said  Marsh,  wished  the  fault  should  fall  or  come  upon  the  persons 
who  authorised  them  to  take  the  course  they  did.  HIRAM  GRIFFIN. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  this  10th  day  of  November,  1827,  before  me, 

SAMUEL  SKINNER,  J.  P, 

State  of  J^ew-York, }  Ellas  Cooley  being  duly  sworn  deposes  and  says,  that  this  depo- 
Qenesee  County,  ss.  \  nent  was  in  company  with  James  Ganson,  on  the  twelfth  day  of 
September,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty -six,  and  that  the  said  James  Ganson.  then  stated 
to  this  deponent,  o"  in  this  deponent's  hearing,  that  the  Governor  had  written  on,  or  that 
letters  had  been  received  from  the  Governor,  by  him,  directing  the  manner  of  proceeding 
to  suppress  the  publication  of  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  or  of  ttie  book,  (the  conversation  then 
referring  to  the  book  Morgan  and  Miller  were  about  publishing  on  the  secrets  of  Masonry, 
at  Batavia,)  to  the  best  knowledge  and  belief  of  this  deponent  .♦  and  that  this  deponent 
verily  believed  from  the  above  statements,  that  the  said  James  Ganson,  or  some  other  per- 
son had  received  a  letter  or  written  communication  from  the  Governor,  directing  a  sup- 
pression of  the  publication  of  said  book  on  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  then  about  to  be  pub- 
lished by  the  said  Morgan  and  Miller,  at  Batavia.  ELIAS  COOLEY. 
Taken  and  subscribed  this  12th  day  of  November,  1827,  before  rae, 

JACOB  BARTOW,  Comra'er,&c. 

State  of  J\reiD-York, )  Hollis  Pratt  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says,  that  on  the 
Oenesee  County,  ss.  \  twelft;h  day  of  September,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-six,  this 
deponent  was  in  company  with  James  Ganson,  and  in  a  conversation  about  the  secrets  of 
Masonry  being  revealed  at  Batavia,  the  said  James  Ganson  told  this  deponent  that  a  man 
had  been  to  see  the  Governor,  or  had  received  a  letter  from  him,  and  this  deponent  does 
not  now  recollect  which ;  and  this  deponent  asked  him  who  that  man  was,  and  his  reply 
was.  Gains  B.  Rich.  HOLLIS  PRATT. 

Subscribed  and  Sworn  this  12th  day  of  November,  1827.  before  me, 

S.  SKINNER,  J.  P. 


C  APPENDIX. 

(1) 
State  of  J^ew-  York,  }  James  Ganson,  of  ihe  town  of  Le  Roy,  in  said  county,  being  duly 
Oenesee  County,  ss.  ^  sworn  deposes  and  says,  that  tlie  ttatement  contained  in  the  affi- 
davit of  Franklin  Marsh,  that  he.  this  deponent,  "  was  asked  if  he  had  authority  from 
the  Governor  to  suppress  or  prevent  the  pruning  of  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  then  about  to 
be  printed  at  Batavia,  and  that  he,  this  deponent,  replied  to  the  said  question  '  we  have  a 
letter,'  and  at  the  same  time  placed  his  hands  upon  his  coat  pocket,"  is  not  tiue  ;  and  .this 
depont^nt  further  says,  that  itie  statement  in  the  affidavit  of  Elias  Cooley,  that  he,  this  de- 
ponent, stated  to  said  Cooley,  or  to  any  other  person,  that  the  Governoi  had  written  on, 
or  that  letters  had  been  received  from  him  by  this  deponent,  (or  any  other  person,)  direct- 
ing the  manner  of  proceeding  to  suppress  the  publication  ol  the  secrets  of  Masonry,  or  of 
tlie  book,  as  stated  in  the  said  affidavit,  is  not  tiue  ;  and  this  deponent  further  says,  tliat  the 
statement  contained  in  the  affidavit  of  HoUis  Pratt,  that  he,  this  deponent,  in  a  conversation 
with  said  Pratt,  about  the  secrets  of  Masonry  being  published  at  Batavia,  told  the  said  Pratt 
that  a  man  had  been  to  see  the  Governor,  and  had  a  letter  from  him,  and  that  this  depo- 
nent named  Gaius  B.  Rich  as  such  person,  is  wholly  without  foundation  in  truth  ;  and  this 
deponent  further  says,  that  he  has  never,  on  any  occasion,  said,  nor  does,  he  believe  that  his 
excelle^'cy  De  Witt  Clinton,  was  in  any  manner  concerned,  or  countenanced,  or  had  any 
previous  knowledge  of  the  late  outrages  and  proceedings  in  relation  to  William  Morgan,  and 
the  suppression  of  a  publication  announced  by  him  atid  D.  C  Miller,  of  the  secrets  of  l-'ree- 
masonry  :  that  the  story  that  a  letter  was  received  by  this  deponent  from  Governor  Clinton, 
authorising  the  suppression  of  said  publication,  or  in  relation  to  the  same,  or  that  any  letter, 
or  other  written  or  verbal  communication  whatever,  had  been  received  by  this  deponent 
from  Governor  Clinton,  is  utterly  without  foundation— neither  was  any  such  letter,  to  the 
jknowledge  of  this  deponent, or  any  written  or  veibal  communication  upon  the  subject  re. 
ceived  by  any  other  person  from  Governor  Clinton.  JAMES  GAIN  SON. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  this  lOih  day  of  January,  1828,  before  me, 

JACOB  BARTOW,  Commissioner. 


EXTRACT  FROVT  THE  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  GENERAL  GRAND  CHAPTER. 
[The  annexed  extract  from  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United 
States,  at  their  triennial  meeting,  held  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  September  1829,  embra- 
ces the  tribute  of  resi)ect  paid  to  the  memory  of  De  Witt  Clinton  by  that  body,  referred  to 
at  the  close  of  the  letter  of  Col.  Knapp,  page  31 6.  It  was  written  by  Col.  Knapp,  and  is  as 
feeling  and  beautiful,  as  it  is  eloquent  and  just.] 

September  11,  1829. 

AFTERNOON    SESSION. 

Most  Excellent  Companion  Knapp,  from  the  committee  appointed  on  the  subject  of  the 
deaihof  Most  Excellent  De  Witt  Clinton,  made  the  following  report,  to  wit : 

The  committee  that  had  under  consideration  the  subject  of  a  proper  notice  of  our  bereav- 
mer^t  in  the  death  of  De  Witt  CUnton,  the  first  officer  of  this  masonic  body,  ask  leave  to 
report — 

That,  as  more  than  nineteen  months  have  elapsed  since  this  mournful  event,  in  their 
opinion,  the  customary  fimeral  rites  so  consonant  to  the  heaviness  of  recent  grief,  and  so 
proper  in  their  season,  should  be  dispensed  with  at  thjs  meeting  ;  as  shrouding  our  council 
chamber  in  black,  or  wearing  a  badge  of  mourning  for  thirty  days,  would  add  nothing  to 
the  deei>  sense  we  feel  at  our  loss,  or  fix  more  indelibly  in  cur  minds,  the  recollecti.ms  of  his 
services  ;  but  as  no  accident  nor  length  of  time,  can  ever  efface,  or  blot  out  his  name  from 
the  pages  of  his  country's  history,  or  lessen  the  weight  of  his  character,  we  deem  it  most 
meet  and  proper,  while  in  session  for  the  first  time  after  his  death,  to  leave  on  our  records 
a  brief  memorial  of  so  great  and  good  a  man  as  our  late  High  Priest,  and  also  to  tell  the 
World  how  sincerely  we  loved  him,  and  to  give  our  successors,  or  those  who  may  search 
our  archives,  hereafter,  to  understand  what  manner  of  man  we  tliought  him  ;  we  who  lived 
in  his  day,  and  were  guided  by  his  counsels. 

For  in  him  were  united,  exalted  genius,  profound  acquirements,  a  happy  tact  in  business, 
with  great  patience,  and  unwearied  industry.  In  the  morning  of  life  he  took  up  the  noble 
determination  to  be  great,  and  to  make  vscfulness  the  basis  of  that  greatness. 

He  came  to  the  dutiesof  a  freeman  when  our  Republic,  exhausted  with  the  struggles  for 
independence,  was  attempting  to  fix  our  institutions  upon  the  rights  of  man,  and  the  princi- 
ples of  eternal  justice,  but  there  was  of>en  seen  a  timid  hand  and  vacillating  policy.  In  the 
conflict  of  honest  opinions  he  boldly  took  his  part,  and  if  his  zeal  at  times  excited  the  fears 
of  his  followers,  his  i)atrif>lisin  won  the  hearts  of  his  opponents. 

The  potals  of  knowledge  were  then  just  opening  anew,  in  this  country,  with  the  biight- 
est  promises,  and  he  was  charmed  with  all  her  paths.  With  the  grasp  of  genius  he  held 
the  lamp  of  science  through  the  wanderings  of  literature,  and  the  mazes  of  politics ;  and 
moral,  political  and  literary  institutions  received  advantages  from  his  intellectual  light:  nor 
was  he  content  to  rest  here;  for  he  saw  at  a  glance  that  Omnipotence  when  hf  stamped  the 
features  and  maiked  the  physiognomy  of  the  earth,  gave  intimations  to  man  that  he  might 
ehangeand  improve  these  features  for  his  benefit.  His  mind  no  sooner  conceived  than  hia 
«oul  was  fired  with  the  project,  which  he  carried  into  effect ;  it  was  no  narrow  plan,  no 


APPENDIX.  7 

pitiful  experiment,  governed  by  village  economy,  or  district  politics ;  the  design  Wvls  worthy  of 
a  master  mind,  and  the  execution  of  an  herculean  arm  :  the  seas  of  the  wilderness  were 
united  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  He  saw  the  labor  finished,  and  heard  the  voice  of  the  peo- 
ple pronounce  it  to  be  good.  In  the  midst  of  these  arduous  labors  he  did  not  forget  how 
much  hunwn  happiness  depends  upon  well  regulated  affections,  and  permanent  charities, 
and  he  entered  the  pale  of  our  order,  and  assumed  the  duties  of  master,  almoner,  and 
priest  ;  to  leach  the  ignorant  and  to  check  the  wandering  ;  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the 
naked,  and  to  implore  blessings  upon  ail  mankind. 

He  was  morally,  as  well  as  physically,  brave— and  in  (he  generosity  of  his  nature,  pitied 
thit  miserable  flock,  who  in  the  mild  and  peaceful  day,  turned  their  plu-^iage  to  the  sim  for 
brilliant  reflections  to  attract  notice  and  gain  admiration  from  the  world  ;  but  who  were 
not  to  be  found  when  the  elements  were  troubled.  He  poised  his  eagle-wing  in  the  whirl- 
wind, and  fearlessly  breasted  the  peltings  of  the  storm. 

His  enemies  reviewing  his  life,  are  silent  when  they  cast  up  the  amount  of  his  virtues, 
and  his  friends  love  him  the  more  when  they  recount  the  deeds  he  has  done  :  malice  never 
charged  him  with  avarice,  nor  did  slander  ever  whisper  that  he  could  be  corrupted  by  gold; 
if  sometimes  dis  ppointed  ambition  in  a  paroxysm,  at  the  loss  of  office,  alledged  that  he 
was  partial, in  a  calmer  moment  she  was  forced  to  confess,  that  his  errors  (for  he  washuman 
and  could  not  be  free  from  them,)  sprung  from  the  irregular  pulsation  of  too  warm  a  heart  ; 
and  fiom  too  much  confidence  in  tlie  professions  of  assimulated  virtue  ;  and  even  envy, 
that  first  vvi.shes,  and  then  believes  all  ill, -owns,  since  he  is  gone,  that  the  only  harvest  he 
ever  gathered  in  was  glory  ;  and  all  must  acknowledge,  that  the  only  estate  that  he  left  for 
his  orph;in  children,  is  his  fame. 

Bis  exertions  were  not  limited  to  the  temporal  welfare  of  his  fellow  men,  for  he  knew 
that  the  excellency  of  all  knowledge  consists  in  divine  truth,  and  he  was  unremitting  in  his 
efforts  to  disseminate  the  sacred  writings,  believing  that  in  them  are  the  oracles  of  God,  and 
the  promises  of  everlasting  life. 

His  death  has  been  deplored  as  that  of  one  who  di^d  too  early  ;— but  if  the  prominent 
deeds  of  men  are  so  many  mile  stones  on  the  journev  of  life,  his  course  cannot  have  been 
short  who  has  set  up  so  many  monuments  as  he  travelled  onward  to  eternity:  true,  all  was 
finished  betore  age  had  required  the  sustaining  staff,  or  the  helping  hand. 

Such  was  our  companion  and  brother,  the  late  chief  officer  of  this  General  Grand  Chap, 
ter.  The  pride  of  those  who  lived  and  acted  with  him,  and  an  example  for  those  who  may 
hereafter  arise  to  take  a  distinguished  pait  in  the  welfare  of  our  country. 

Let  learned  biographers  write  his  life  ;  let  talented  artists  chisel  his  monument,  and 
mould  his  bust  for  an  admiring  people,  while  we  must  content  ourselves  with  i  miniature 
profile  of  him.  traced  in  a  single  moment,  when  kneeling  at  our  altars  ;  but  there  is  some 
consolation  for  us  in  feeling  that  this  sketch  is  made,  as  it  were,  upon  our  jewels,  and  is  to 
be  worn  on  our  breasts,  an  emblem,  a  faint  one  indeed,  of  his  image  in  our  hearts. 

Samuel  L.  Knapp,   "j 
Joseph  K.  Siapleton, 
Jonathan  Nye,  }  Committee. 

Joel  Clapp,  j 

Daniel  L.  Gibbins,     J 

Which  was  read,  accepted,  and  the  General  Grand  Secretaiy  directed  to  present  a  copy 
thereof  to  the  widow  of  the  deceased. 


9^ 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


JflN    51967  3  5 

f^^CEiVED 

DEC  2  ^'66 -4  PM 

DEC  0  2    2 

LOAN  nppT 

■*'cr"  1 , 

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LD  2lA-60m-7,'66                               t,                 /                         '^ 
(G44278l0)476B                                ^^-            / 

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YB  26954 


